Going Nowhere Fast
by QueenofOld
Summary: Her love for him keeps her from saying no, and his insatiable desire for her keeps him coming back for more.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own!  
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**Warning: You may or may not want to reach through the computer screen and strangle this Logan. He's not the greatest, nicest guy we all want to imagine he is in this story, so I just need to warn you there.**

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Marie awoke to her mattress jerking.

She groaned and rolled onto her back as an energetic 4 year old girl threw her body across Marie's torso. She let out a "oof" as the air was knocked out of her and grabbed the little body before squeezing her tight, "Mornin' munchkin...why are you up so early?"

"Daddy's coming today!" squealed the little girl as she threw her hands up in the air.

Marie's eyes popped open. That reminder provided a jolt more powerful than any espresso shot could deliver.

She cleared her throat and forced a smile onto her face as she sat up, "Well, let's get breakfast and get you ready for your daddy then, OK?"

"OK!"

Marie got up with her daughter and began going about their normal morning routine. Mother and daughter stood side by side in the mirror, brushing their teeth and washing their faces, with the little girl mimicking every single movement her mom made.

She didn't need to mimic Marie's mannerisms for people to know that she was her mother's daughter. She was a spitting image of her in almost every way except her eyes.

After Marie had the chance to shower, she got her daughter dressed and took her downstairs for breakfast. She had just sat her daughter down at the table with a bowl of oatmeal when Jubilee came bounding in, "Morning, chica. Morning Jamie! How's my most stylish little buddy?"

"Morning Auntie JuJu! I'm wearing the shoes you got me for my birthday", said Jamie as she put her foot on the table.

"Ah ah, munchkin. Foot off the table." said Marie firmly.

Jamie pouted a little bit and took her foot down, "Sowwy mommy."

"It's ok, munchkin. Just finish your breakfast. Daddy will be here in an hour." Marie turned to Jubilee, "Would you make sure she finishes eating so that I can go finish packing her up?"

Jubilee nodded, "Sure thing..."

Marie turned to leave, but Jubilee cleared her throat, glanced back at Jamie, then rushed across the room so that she was standing directly in front of Marie, "You OK?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Jubilee raised a brow, "Cause...you tend to be a little tender on days when you know he's coming. You wanna go out for lunch after he picks Jamie up?"

"Thanks Jubes, but I got other plans. It's really no big deal!" Marie let out a soft laugh as she patted her friend on the shoulder, then turned around and walked away.

She'd gotten so good at lying to everyone. She was now at the point where she could look even the professor in the eye and fool him into believing just how "fine" she was.

The truth was, Marie was not "fine". She never would be again.

An hour later, she sat on the front steps of the mansion with Jamie, her Dora the Explorer suitcase and her booster seat. Marie's stomach flipped when she saw the Chevy Avalanche truck pull through the gates and down the driveway.

It parked in front of them, and, before Logan was able to fully get out of the car, Jamie was sprinting down the stairs and across the driveway toward her father.

Logan smiled and clapped his hands together before catching his running daughter and tossing her in the air. He kissed her cheek and held her, "Hey kiddo. You've grown."

"I have?"

"Yep. You're gonna have to start carryin' me around soon."

Jamie laughed, "I can't carry you, daddy! You got metal inside you. You're too heavy!"

Logan kissed her and shifted her in his arms before slowly turning his eyes to look at Marie, who was now standing at the bottom of the steps holding the suitcase and booster seat.

He slowly walked forward while still holding Jamie, "Heya Marie."

"Hi Logan."

"You doin' alright?"

Marie nodded, "Yeah." The two stood looking at each other for several moments before she cleared her throat, "Um. Here's her bag and her seat. Did you want me to put it in the car for you?"

"Uh...yeah. That'd be nice...it would give me the chance to go say 'hi' to Chuck."

Marie nodded as he carried Jamie into the mansion while the precocious 4 year old chattered away, oblivious to her parents tension.

By the time they returned, Marie had installed the booster seat in the back seat of the truck and put the bag in.

Logan put Jamie in her seat and fastened her in before closing the door and looking at Marie. She quickly grew uncomfortable with the way he looked at her, so she quickly spoke, "Um, she's been having a rough time with her allergies, so I packed some Children's Benadryl just in case. The dosage instructions are in the bag."

He nodded slowly, "Alright...Marie, I-"

She quickly opened the back door to speak to Jamie, "Hey baby girl. You be good for daddy, OK?"

"OK mommy."

Marie kissed and hugged her, "I'll see you in a few days. Have fun."

Jamie smiled and waved, "Come on, daddy! Let's hit the road!"

Although he was preoccupied with the fact that he'd unsuccessfully tried to talk to Marie, chuckled at Jamie's demand. He watched Marie rush away, then slowly climbed into the drivers seat and looked at his daughter in the rearview mirror, "All fastened in, kiddo?"

"Yup!"

"Are we ready for an adventure?"

"Yup!"

Logan smiled, "Alright then, darlin'. Let's hit the road!"

Marie watched the truck disappear from sight and let out a shivering breath. She always counted it as a big accomplishment when she managed to make it through a brush with Logan without a major meltdown.

Speaking of meltdowns, Marie was late for her first therapy session.

An hour later, she sat nervously in a well-decorated office in a nondescript medical complex somewhere in Westchester. A tall woman with red hair entered the office, immediately making Marie tense.

The smiled and extended her hand, "Hi. You must be Marie. I'm Doctor Jennifer Stewart."

"Nice to meet you."

"Would you like a bottle of water before we begin?"

Marie nodded as Doctor Stewart walked over to a mini fridge and pulled out a bottle of water before handing it to her.

She sat down across from Marie and picked a notepad and pen up off of a nearby table, "So, why don't we start by you telling me why you're here?"

Marie laughed nervously and looked down at the bottle of water in her hands, "I think, the question is...why am I just now deciding to get counseling. People who've had lives like mine should be federally mandated to attend therapy."

Dr. Stewart let out a soft, brief laugh before slowly clicking her pen, "Rough childhood?"

"...yes. Followed by a rough adolescence, young adulthood...and, lemme tell ya, this whole adulthood thing isn't turnin' out to be so great either. My life has been pretty out of control.."

The doctor furrowed her eyebrows thoughtfully, "Can you think of a specific instance that you felt sent everything spiraling out of control?"

Marie took in a deep breath and looked up, "Well, I'm a mutant, and my powers emerged in the most inopportune of times..."

"Have you made peace with who you are?"

She nodded, "Oh yeah. I'm fine with my mutation now. I'm in control. It doesn't control me anymore."

"So, would the emergence of your powers not be a tipping point?"

"It was **A** tipping point...but it wasn't** THE**tipping point."

Dr. Stewart nodded, "Alright. Tell me about **THE**tipping point of your life. Tell me where things started to turn."

Marie closed her eyes for a moment as she transported herself back in time, "Eight years ago...after I ran away from home. I met this guy...this mutant...Logan...in Laughlin City. I stowed away in the back of his truck, but he found me and almost left me on the side of the road."

"Then what happened?"

She smiled a little at the memory as she spoke, "Then...he gave me the ride of my life." Dr. Stewart raised her eyebrows, prompting Marie to stutter, "I mean-no-not in that way-I mean-later on-he did-we did-I mean-ah...let me start again. Logan took pity on me, and gave me a ride."

Dr. Stewart nodded, "Alright."

"After that...he saved my life. Literally. He fought for me...risked his life for me...and of course, like an idiot, I became enamored with him because of that."

"It sounds like he's important to you."

Marie relaxed a bit as she sat back in her seat, "I hate to admit this to anyone...but, it's completely true. He's shaped and molded my life more than anyone else has."

The doctor nodded, "Sounds like you two have quite the story."

"We do."

The doctor's pen hovered over her notepad, "Why don't you just start wherever you feel comfortable?"

****************SEVEN YEARS AGO******************  
Marie was sitting in an empty classroom with her Calculus book and several balled up wads of paper as she worked through her homework. She'd been living in the mansion for nearly a year, and now, advanced Calculus stood between her and her long overdue high school diploma.

She groaned as she tore another piece of paper out of her notebook and balled it up before tossing it over her shoulder. When she didn't hear the soft *tap* of the paper hitting the floor, she glanced behind her and saw Logan there, in all of his ruggedly handsome glory, holding the piece of paper.

Marie fought the urge to squirm in her seat as he sauntered toward her, "Hey kid. Homework givin' you problems?"

As usual, she almost forgot how to speak in his presence, but somehow, she found her voice, "Uh...yeah. Calculus."

"Hmph. Sounds fun."

Marie nodded, "I feel like I'm runnin' my own circus over here."

Logan cracked a smile...well, as much of a smile that Wolverine managed. His "smile" was actually more of a sexy smirk.

"So. What are you doin' wanderin' into empty classrooms?" she asked as she crossed her arms.

"Just checkin' in."

Marie tried not to sound too flattered as she spoke, "You're checkin' on me?"

Before he had the chance to answer, Jean poked her head in the door. She seemed to feign surprise at seeing Marie and Logan, "Oh. Hello. I was just coming down to start on some lesson plans."

When Marie saw the way Logan looked at Jean, her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. She closed her book and picked up her notebook, "It's alright. I was just on my way out..."

Marie would be the first to realize, but the last to admit that her school girl crush on Logan was becoming something far more serious. She was in love with him...but he never tore his eyes away from Scott's fiance long enough to realize or care about that.

Since she knew she had no shot in hell with Logan, she decided to divert all of that energy into something more productive...something like controlling her powers.

Months later, when she announced the news to Logan, he seemed happy for her, but that reaction didn't satisfy Marie. In her dreams, she had imagined that, upon hearing that she was finally touchable, he would rip every last shred of clothing off of her body and throw her down for hours of lovemaking.

No such luck, unfortunately. Instead, he gave her a tight hug, kissed her temple, and gave her some money so that she could go buy clothes regular "girls her age" wore.

Logan's desire for Jean seemed to grow every time she hesitantly rebuffed one of his advances or stopped him from kissing her RIGHT before his lips touched hers.

Jean was playing a sick game of cat and mouse with him, and she seemed to thrive on the attention he lavished her with.

Poor Scott was aware of the attention, and he'd practiced patience...until he caught Logan pressing Jean up against the refrigerator in an effort to tempt her into committing full-on adultery.

A fight broke out, and Marie was one of the first to arrive on the scene. Jean ended up having to use her powers to suspend both men in mid-air until they promised to calm down.

The next evening, on her way down to the kitchen, Marie heard Logan's distinctive rumble coming from Jean's half-open office door.

He was in the middle of a sentence when she stopped in the hallway to listen, "...I could be the good guy."

"Logan, the good guy sticks arou-"

Marie couldn't understand exactly why Jean's voice cut off in mid sentence until she heard the soft smacking of lips. She felt her stomach sink when she realized that Logan and Jean were now kissing.

Jean suddenly spoke up, "Logan. No. Really. I can't. Scott is a good man. I love him. I can't keep playing this game with you. This has to stop. Now."

Marie realized that their conversation was ending, so she hurriedly ducked into Storm's empty office across the hall in order to avoid detection.

When she thought she heard them leave, Marie walked back out into the hallway and nearly slammed into Logan's broad chest.

His arms were crossed, and he looked pissed.

Marie's eyes widened as she desperately attempted to think of a good lie.

"Logan! You scared me! I was just-"

"Save it, kid. I can tell when you're lyin'." He narrowed his eyes, "How much did you hear?"

She lowered her eyes, "Everything..."

Logan uncrossed his arms and let out a breath, "Oh..."

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

He shook his head and looked down, "No."

She sighed and nodded, "I understand..."

Marie didn't know what else to do, so she slowly stepped forward before wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a tight hug. He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight for a moment before she slowly started to let go.

When Marie released him from the hug, she almost squeaked in surprise as Logan's lips connected to hers in a cautious kiss.

At first, Marie thought about pushing him away. After all, this was obviously his knee-jerk reaction to Jean's rejection...this wasn't real.

But as she felt his hands snake around her waist and his tongue slip into the depths of her mouth, her knees weakened. All sensical thought and intellect was rendered inactive as he backed her up against the wall and continued kissing her.

Despite the fact that, in the back of her mind, she knew this wasn't right, Marie was in love with him. She couldn't say no to this.

She didn't **_WANT_**to say no to this.

Logan quickly took her by the hand and led her down the hall and up the flight of stairs to his room.

Once inside, he laid her on his bed and resumed their hot make out session. Logan's fingers gently roamed up her leg to beneath her nightgown to toy with the waist band of her panties.

Marie moaned as he moved his lips to her neck to suckle and kiss the sensitive flesh there.

As he kissed her neck, she felt him grab one side of the waistband of her panties in his fist and give a strong tug, ripping them off.

Her gasp was drowned out when his lips, once again, covered hers in a searing kiss.

Marie's trembling, inexperienced fingers began working on the buttons of his shirt, but he quickly raised up and yanked his shirt over his head before leaning back down to kiss her again.

She wrapped her legs around his body as she felt the hard line of his erection press against her core.

The sudden realization that she was about to lose her virginity to none other than Logan...the Wolverine, dawned on her.

Marie felt her entire body flush red as Logan helped her out of her bathrobe and nightgown, then knelt before her to open his pants and reveal his cock.

She tried to keep her eyes from widening as it sprang forward...eager and ready for her nubile body.

Logan slowly lowered himself back on top of her before reaching down to gently test her pussy for wetness. When her juices coated his finger, Logan grasped a hold of his cock and lined it up to her entrance.

Marie fought the urge to scoot up the bed as she felt him begin to enter her. Just when she started to get used to the feeling of him inside of her, she felt her barrier give way.

Logan stilled and slowly kissed her neck before slowly resting his entire length inside of her.

Marie gripped onto his arms so tight, she was sure any normal man would have bloodied nail marks there the next morning.

As he began moving in and out of her, Marie maneuvered her hips slowly upward in an effort to try to do more than just lay there. When she did, she must have excited Logan, because his thrusts increased in intensity ten fold.

She gasped as she felt him grind against her clit, inciting a shiver that traveled up her spine. Marie moaned as she wrapped her arms around him and crushed his body against hers as he continued thrusting into her.

After a few moments, Marie arched her back as she felt an orgasm rock her body. Logan buried his face in her neck and cried out her name as he came.

When they both recovered, Logan slowly rolled off of her and ran his hands through his hair, then covered his face. He seemed to be deciding what to say next.

When Marie looked over and noted his flustered demeanor, she felt her heart crack in two. He already looked like he regretted it and she was still experiencing after shocks from her orgasm. He could have waited until the next morning to get weird about it.

Marie quickly sat up, "I should get back to my room."

Logan nodded slowly, "Uh...yeah. Ok."

She quickly got dressed, then rushed over to the door. Just as she grabbed the handle, Logan stopped her, "Hey kid...you OK?"

Marie nodded, "Yeah. I'm fine."  
****************END FLASHBACK***************  
"Well. That sounds like a very...interesting way to lose ones virginity."

Marie nodded, "Logan's a do-first, think-later kinda guy."

The doctor furrowed her eyebrows, "Do you feel like he took advantage of you?"

She looked down on her hands, "Logan's a smart guy. He knew I loved him...he knew I'd jump at the chance to be with him like that..."

"So, it seems like there was a lot of tension between you two immediately after being intimate. What were things like in the days and months that followed?"

Marie laughed a little, "Tense. Definitely. I know he wanted to leave the school, but we had some...matters we needed his help on, so he was stuck under the same roof as me."

"And, his relationship with this...Jean, was it? How was that?"

Marie shrugged, "He played off his feelings for her pretty well. He even kinda had me fooled into thinkin' he might be over her..."

"You didn't think he was?"

"I know better than anyone...when you love someone, you can't just turn those feelings off. It takes time and work to get over being in love...and, even though he had time to get over her...he definitely wasn't puttin' in the work."

Dr. Stewart nodded, "So...then what happened?"

Marie sighed, "Then...Jean and her fiance finally set a date...and things got messy."

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**Coming up next:**

**Marie remembers she and Logan's second time, and they discover something that will change their lives forever!  
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**Review please!  
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	2. Chapter 2

**I know I mentioned before that Marie would be remembering she and Logan's second time, but I decided to shorten this chapter since it got so long! Don't hate me for what you're about to read. There is a reason this is an "Angst" story!**

**Thank you all for your reviews. I really do appreciate them!  
**

**Karen- I felt it only fair to warn you guys! I know we love Rogan, but sometimes I do have to acknowledge Logan's "issue" with Jean and admit that it might be more than a passing attraction.  
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**tanya2byour21- you're on the right track!  
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**To my anonymous review "Update Soon"- I will answer the question about Jamie's name soon! Logan did feel guilty about using Marie the way he did, but not about the no-protection thing.  
**

**To everyone else- thank you so much for your reviews!  
**

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Dr. Stewart finished writing down some things in her notepad, "Did you and Logan ever have a chance to talk about what happened?"

Marie shook her head, "We just kind of...pretended it didn't happen. We stopped being close. He had been my best friend before...but then, after..." She sighed and shook her head, "It almost wasn't worth it, ya know?"

Dr. Stewart nodded, "Losing the friendship you had wasn't worth the sex?"

Marie nodded, "Yeah. I felt really alone after that. I didn't want to tell anyone what happened, and it was obvious he didn't want anyone to know..."

"Give me one word that you believe best describes your life after your encounter with Logan."

She thought for a moment and sighed, "Lost."

Dr. Stewart jotted some notes down as she nodded a little, "Why did you feel lost?"

"I lost my virginity to the first person I allowed myself to trust and love after being shunned by the only family I ever knew. Knowing that I gave, what I consider to be, a big part of myself to a man who didn't care about me nearly as much as I cared about him...it damaged me. It hurt me..."

"How did you cope with that hurt?" asked Dr. Stewart as she adjusted her glasses.

Marie looked down at the palms of her hands and bit her bottom lip, "I tried to hurt others..."

*********************6 AND A HALF YEARS AGO**************  
Fairly soon after Marie's encounter with Logan, she began noticing an anger that welled within her every time she saw Jean.

Marie never particularly liked the redhead, and it wasn't all because of the way she kept Logan on the hook.

The infamous Jean Grey was as self absorbed and superior as an individual could get. Even if she wasn't intending, she always managed to sound condescending, and she constantly came off as fake.

Aside from all of those facts, Marie hated the way Jean treated her loyal (to a fault) fiance.

Marie liked Scott. She always had.

Aside from Logan, he was the only male friend she had; and since their sordid encounter, he'd been her _only_male friend.

He was genuine, kind, and really _really_ handsome. He definitely deserved better than a woman who toyed around with another man simply because it gave her a self esteem boost.

Marie was convinced that he would never leave Jean...but she felt that he at least deserved to even up the score a bit.

She'd been flirting with him recently, and with Logan gone, she had plenty of time to devote to get "close" to Scott.

The fearless leader did everything he could to ignore her flirtations, but his attraction toward her was on the cusp of overriding his good judgment **_and_**his loyalty to Jean.

Scott didn't believe in cheating, but, in his mind, Jean had started it. After all, he didn't honestly believe that she and Logan HADN'T had sex yet.

At one point, Scott stopped making a huge effort to ignore Marie's advances, and started reciprocating her flirtations.

He loved the fact that Marie made him feel like he was desired. It had been ages since Jean made him feel that special.

Scott may not have known it, but Jean's emotional and sexual neglect of him, along with her inappropriate interactions with Logan made him ripe for Marie's picking.

Marie wandered down to the garage with a couple of pieces of chocolate cake late one evening, knowing Scott would probably be there, working on his bike. She wore a breezy, spaghetti strapped sun dress, that, although innocent looking, left little to the imagination...if you looked hard enough.

He saw her walking toward him, "Oh. Hey Rogue. Comin' to check out my progress?"

"That, and, I was just wondering if you wanted some cake."

He stood up from his crouched position and eyed the cake as he wiped his hands on the rag that hung from his pocket, "Looks good. I didn't know we had cake."

"We didn't. I baked this", she said as she handed him the cake.

Scott laughed as he took a forkful, "You did not!"

"Alright. You got me...but I did go all the way to the grocery store to buy it!"

He laughed a little and began eating his cake as he sat on a stool across from her.

Marie smirked as she set her cake down on the work table before hopping up to sit on its surface. Once settled on top of the counter, she picked up her cake and took a small bite.

When a comfortable silence settled over them, Marie crossed her legs, accentuating her thigh. Scott took notice and gulped nervously before clearing his throat and turning his head away.

"Are you OK, Scott?" she asked, raising a brow.

Scott nodded, "I'm good. Good cake...really good. Wish I had some cold...cold water to go with it."

"How are things going with Jean?"

Scott cleared his throat yet again, "Um. They're good."

"Figures. Logan is gone right now."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Marie shrugged a little, "Well, sorry to say, but it seems like you guys are hangin' on my a thread anytime Logan is around...I get worried about you."

Scott sighed and looked down, "She said it was over..."

"Just like she said you had nothing to worry about when they first met? Then a couple of years later, you caught them nearly having sex in the kitchen."

He shook his head, "I hate that I can't trust her, Rogue."

"Marie."

"What?"

She gently ran her finger tip over her thigh, "I want you to call me Marie..."

"Oh...ok." Scott took one last bite of his cake before standing and walking over to Marie to set the plate down next to her. Marie uncrossed her legs before slowly taking a hold of his shirt and pulling him between her open legs.

She heard Scott take in a sharp breath as she looked into his red lenses. She couldn't see his eyes, so she had to take clues from his other facial cues in order to figure out how he was reacting to her advances.

When she leaned in for a kiss, Scott jerked away briefly, but surprised her when he took a hold of the back of her head and yanked her face forward, pressing his lips hard against hers for a devouring kiss.

Marie wrapped her arms around his neck as she scooted to the edge of the work bench, effectively pressing their groins together.

Scott slowly trailed soft kisses down her neck, then to her collar bone before gently moving the strap of her sundress off of her shoulder and kissing the skin there.

She shuddered as he peppered her skin with kisses and softly massaged her thigh when she wrapped her legs around him.

Scott moved his hands back up to grasp her face as he deepened the kiss and ground himself against her.

Marie unfastened his pants, then reached in and pulled out his throbbing erection. Scott, in reaction, broke the kiss, stepped back and reached underneath her skirt to take a hold of the waist band of her panties.

She placed her palms against the work bench so that she could lift her hips up and allow him to pull her panties off.

When they were off, Scott stepped back between her legs and resumed the kiss as Marie's hips bucked forward upon feeling the head of his cock brush against the lips of her pussy.

Scott slowly guided himself forward until he was buried deep inside of her. Marie put her head back and moaned as she arched her back. He kissed her neck as he began pumping in and out of her, "Oh God...Marie...Marie..."

She wrapped her limbs around him tight as he began thrusting harder, causing the work bench to slam back against the wall with each thrust.

Marie leaned back as Scott reached forward to pull the fabric of her dress away from her breast. When the supple flesh was exposed, he eagerly leaned forward to attach his mouth to one of her perfect, pinkish-brown nipples, causing her to moan his name as she ran her fingers through his hair.

When she felt him start to pulse inside of her, Marie whispered urgently, "Don't come inside..."

Scott heard her and nodded quickly before gripping her hips and driving into her harder and harder. Marie started to cry out as she came, but Scott quickly covered her mouth as he gave her time to ride out the waves of her orgasm. When she calmed a bit, he resumed his pace.

It didn't take long before he announced his own impending climax, and pulled out, coming on the rag that was in his pocket.

They stood still, panting for several moments before Scott bent over to pick up her panties and hand them to her. He slowly helped her off of the work bench, then stowed himself away in his pants, "Are you alright?"

Marie nodded and smiled, "Yeah. Are you?"

Scott nodded back, "Yeah."

When she started to walk away, he pulled her back and gave her a tight hug, then released her.  
********************END FLASHBACK**************

Dr. Stewart raised both of her brows, "So...you thought having sex with Scott would kill two birds with one stone? You got the chance to stick it to Jean, and maybe hurt Logan in the process?"

Marie nodded, "When I tell the story, I realize just how twisted I was."

"It's OK...I'm not here to judge, Marie. That is not my job. I'm here to help you cope with what your reality is and help you do whatever you think you need to do to gain closure."

By now, Marie had tears in her eyes, "I really regret doing that to Scott. I was being so high and mighty...thinking that I was gonna stick it to Jean for treating him so badly and for turning Logan into some pathetic, love sick puppy...when I turned around and did the same thing to him that Logan did to me. I was no better than Logan or Jean after that night."

"What happened with you and Scott after you guys had sex?"

Marie looked down, "Well, he came up to me the next day, telling me he wanted to leave Jean for me."

"Oh dear..."

She nodded, "Oh dear is right. I had to go into damage control mode. I mean...I liked Scott...still do, but I didn't love him."

"So, what did you say?" asked Doctor Stewart as she sat forward. She was clearly VERY interested in where this story went.

"I told him that I was too young to think about the type of relationship that he clearly wanted, and that what happened with us was just a spontaneous, one-time thing."

Dr. Stewart cocked her head to the side, "Was that enough for him?"

Marie shrugged, "Well...I think so...It seemed to be, at the moment...then Logan came back, and Jean was back up to her old tricks. Poor Scott was being starved for affection yet again, so he started to turn his sights back to me."

**************************SIX YEARS AGO******************  
Marie was in the kitchen, heating up a warm cup of milk to help her sleep. All of her inner turmoil had made it harder for her to get a good nights rest, so she was constantly looking for various methods to help her fall asleep.

She had just finished pouring the milk into a mug when she felt hands snake around her waist.

Marie held back a scream as she spun around to find Scott smiling at her and holding back a chuckle at her reaction.

She placed a hand on her chest and gasped, "Scott! Oh God! You scared the hell outta me!"

He stepped forward and started to put his hands around her waist again, but she stepped back, "What are you doing?"

"I actually came downstairs to find Jean...but with Logan in town, I'm sure she's slinking in some dark corner with him."

"Scott, she could be in the med lab-"

He stepped forward and grabbed a hold of her hips before yanking her forward to press their bodies together, "Marie...I don't know why we're wasting out time. It's getting clearer and clearer to me that Jean and I are a lost cause."

Marie bit her lip and shook her head, "Scott, I-"

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN' ON IN HERE?" yelled Logan, who had walked in to see Scott and Marie still pressed up against each other.

Scott's grip remained unrelenting as Marie grabbed his hands and began to pry them off of her waist, "Logan."

Scott hesitantly took a step away from her, but defiantly stared back at Logan's glaring eyes, "We're having a private conversation, Logan."

"What I walked in on looked like a helluva lot more than a conversation, Scooter", growled Logan.

Marie pinched the bridge of her nose, "We were _just_talking." She looked between the two men, "I'm going to bed."

She quickly left the kitchen and made a beeline for her room.

A couple of hours later, as she laid in the dark, trying her hardest to fall asleep, she heard a knock on her door. She laid there, silently praying that whoever it was would go away, but a rustling at the door made her sit up just as Logan walked into the room and closed the door behind him.

She furrowed her eyebrows, "What the hell are you doing?"

He flipped on the light, "I need to know the truth."

"What are you talkin' about?"

Logan pointed at her, "I saw the way you and Scott were...standing together, and I know something is goin' on. Tell me the truth, Marie."

"I don't owe you a damn thing."

He glared at her, "You're playin' with fire, kid. Scott is as good as married...you shouldn't be wasting your time on a taken man."

Marie laughed and crossed her arms, "Oh, this is RICH. You...are lecturing _me_...about wasting my time on someone who is _taken_? Could you just wait right here while I get the camera out, cause this moment is too fuckin' priceless to not record."

Logan knew she had a point...so he just stood there, huffing and shaking his head. Marie rolled her eyes, "Get out of my room..."

She was taken aback when he actually obeyed. He was about to leave, but when he got to the door, he turned around, "Did it ever occur to you, that the reason why I'm tryin' to lecture you about fuckin' around with someone who's in a relationship is because I know you're better than that? I know I'm an asshole...**everyone** knows it...but...you're good. You're decent...you're smart...you're beautiful...and you are better than this...you're better than **me**."

He left without another word.  
*********************END FLASHBACK*************

"Was that the first real conversation you and Logan had after you had sex?" asked Dr. Stewart.

Marie nodded, "Yup...and it was quite a doozy."

"Sounds like it...so you say this was 6 years ago?"

"Yes. About..."

Dr. Stewart tapped her pen against the notepad, "I do appreciate the groundwork we're laying here, but I think it's important that we get to a place where we can start to work on goals, and it's hard to do that when we're still recapping things. Why is it so important that you start telling your story from so many years ago?"

Marie looked down at her hands, "I felt it was important to tell you what happened in the months and years leading up to when Logan got me pregnant..."

* * *

**Review please!**


	3. Chapter 3

Dr. Stewart looked surprised.

Scratch that.

Dr. Stewart looked shocked.

It took the therapist a whole three minutes to recover from the news before she was able to speak again, "You and Logan have a child?"

Marie nodded, "She's four...she's gorgeous, smart, funny...I like to think she got the best of both of us."

Dr. Stewart raised her eyebrows, "Well...wow...how did you go from barely speaking to...having a baby together?"

She sighed and ran her hands through her hair, "Well, Logan always came and went from the mansion. It's just in his nature to be a nomad...that and, he has some...issues from his past that he needs to resolve, and that requires a lot of travel. After he caught Scott and me in the kitchen, he left the next day and only came back like...three times that year, I think. The last time he came back, he seemed different. He was acting like he genuinely missed being friends with me."

"How were things between you and Scott at this point?"

She sighed, "Scott ended up going overseas on year long assignment for the professor. Jean split her time between there and the mansion."

Dr. Stewart nodded and wrote some things down, "Now you say that Logan was acting like he genuinely missed you...what was he doing?"

Marie shrugged a bit, "Well, he would come sit next to me during meal times and try to start conversations, ask me questions...he even started inviting me to go out to places."

"What was your reaction to him?"

"At first, I would be a little cold...then, I started talking to him here and there...but he could tell I was still keeping him at arms length...then, my birthday rolled around..."

********************5 YEARS AGO****************  
Marie had been out partying with her friends for her 21st birthday celebration when she got a little more drunk than she intended. She was in need of wrangling, so, Jubilee called the one person who she knew could "handle" Marie aside from the currently absent Scott.

It was a good thing the firecracker had called Logan. He entered the bar just in time to save Marie from leaving with some creepy guy who "swore" he was just giving her a ride home.

Of course, Marie, in her drunken state, called Logan a giant asshole, and told him to fuck off. After listening to her tirade, he picked her up and carried her to his car before strapping her in.

When they pulled into the mansion driveway, Kitty and Jubilee went inside, leaving Logan to carry the drunken Marie in. He watched the two disappear inside, then looked at Marie, "What the hell were you thinkin'? Kitty said she watched you take vodka AND jager shots..."

She smirked, "I was just havin' fun! So...big man. Do you wanna have some fun too?"

Logan caught her wrist just as her hand tried to slide into his crotch, "You're drunk, kid."

"Oh come on...it's not like I'd say no if I weren't drunk. You know...I could never say no to you, Logan...never...that's why you fucked me that night...wasn't it?"

Logan stared straight ahead and sighed, "Marie. I think we should-"

He was cut off in mid-sentence by the soft sound of Marie's snoring. She'd passed out.

The next morning, Marie woke up in her bed, stripped down to her underwear. The room was uncharacteristically dark, despite it being morning.

As she slowly sat up and swung her legs out over the side of the bed, Logan's voice stopped her.

"I'd be careful getting up so quickly if I were you."

She looked in the direction of his voice and found him sitting in the arm chair across from her bed.

Marie glared, "I don't need your help."

She started to stand, but uneasily plopped back down onto her bed when the room started spinning and she lost her balance. He chuckled, "Told ya."

"Why are you in my room?"

"You were pretty wasted last night."

"Yeah. It's called a 21st birthday celebration. It was my first time drinking...now I know my limit...and now that I do, I never ever wanna reach it again", she moaned as she laid back down and held her head.

Logan sighed, "Look, kid...you should be more careful when you go out and drink. You could have-"

She held up a hand, "Save it. I know. Thanks for bein' my knight in shining adamantium...now would you go?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash, "I guess I should find someone elses birthday to celebrate...all this money is burning a hole in my pocket."

Marie's eyes widened, "Are you serious? You're gonna bribe me to hang out with you?"

"Is it working?"

She slowly sat up, "Give me fifteen minutes."

Logan chuckled and got up to leave her to get ready.

Exactly fifteen minutes later, Marie emerged from her room with wet hair, and wearing sunglasses that took up half of her face.

"How are ya feelin'?"

"Like fresh hell. Do you mind if we stop somewhere to get some coffee?"

Logan nodded, "Lead the way."

Logan drove to a nearby Starbucks and let her run in to grab a coffee. When she returned to the car, she was a little bit perkier, "Why, after all this time, do you want to celebrate my birthday?"

He shrugged a little, "I missed hangin' out with you...it's been too long, kid."

She slowly set the coffee down, "So, I guess, you think enough time has passed and we can forget that you took my virginity, then acted like you were horrified that you'd had sex with me...and now, we can go back to just being friends."

"Kid-"

"I have news for you, Logan. There will never be enough time for me to get over that."

He pulled over into the parking lot of an abandoned grocery store, "I knew you'd never forget...but I didn't know you'd punish me for it forever."

Marie sucked her teeth and opened the car door before hopping out and slamming it closed. She started walking toward the road, but Logan jumped out of the car and jogged toward her.

When he caught up to her, he grabbed her arm and swung her around, "Marie...come on. It's been a year...why can't you just let the past go?"

Marie put her hands on his chest and pushed him away, "Because you don't want to acknowledge what happened!"

Logan let out a sigh, "Fine...you wanna keep punishing me...but will you do me a favor and let me know when I'm off probation?"

They never got a chance to celebrate her birthday that day. Logan took her straight back home, then holed himself up in the Danger Room.

When she didn't see him at dinner, she decided to go to his room to see if they could possibly clear the air.

In all honesty, she missed him as a friend, and she felt that it was only right that she told him about her night with Scott. She felt really hypocritical at this point, and, although he'd probably be livid, she could be honest and give them a fresh start.

She stood in front of his door for several minutes before slowly knocking.

When he answered, he was shirtless.

Marie tried to stop her mouth from dropping open, but it was too late. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his chest.

Logan definitely realized that she was gawking, but he pretended that he didn't notice.

When she finally ripped her gaze away from his chest, she was almost panting, "Um...can I come in?"

He nodded and opened the door wider to let her in, then closed it behind her. She walked into the middle of the room and turned around to find that his arms were now crossed across his exquisite pecs.

Marie turned away from him in an effort to get her thoughts in order. There was no way she was going to be able to carry on a conversation with him if she was looking at his shirtless form.

"So...what is it?"

She fiddled with her hands and concentrated on the pattern of the rug that she stood on, "I didn't see you at dinner."

"I needed to blow off some steam. I was in the Danger Room."

"Oh", she said with a nod.

"Look, kid..." She groaned a little at the mention of his pet name for her. He took notice and cocked an eyebrow, "What's wrong?"

She finally turned her eyes upwards to look at him, "I don't like it when you call me that anymore..."

"Why not?"

"Because we've fucked!" she blurted.

Logan's arms dropped to his sides as he cleared his throat, "Right..."

"I know you don't want to talk about it. I know your daily word limit barely passes double digits, and Lord knows, if you're forced to talk about something as serious as taking my virginity just so you could comfort yourself after being rejected by the red haired ice queen, you'd probably have to apologize, and that's a fuckin' nightmare for you...but really...I thought I was your friend. I thought you would treat me better than some common whore off the street!"

"I didn't hear you say 'no' ONCE, Marie!"

She narrowed her eyes, "What the hell-"

He took a commanding step forward and pointed at her, "If you had even begun to utter the word 'no' or gave me any physical clue that you didn't want me, I would have stopped on a goddamn dime...but you wanted it. You wanted it so bad I coulda smelled you halfway across the damn state!"

Marie delivered a stinging slap to the side of his face and practically screamed at him, "You USED me! You knew that I loved you! You knew that if you asked me to fly to the sun and back, I'd do it...twice!"

Logan lowered his eyes and turned away as he put his hands on his hips, "I never wanted you to put me up on this damn pedestal-"

"Oh spare me the 'you-know-I'm-an-asshole' speech, Logan! You CHOOSE to be a douche because it's easier on you. You're a emotionally handicapped asshole because you can hurt those closest to you, and then have that excuse to fall back on!" She started to take a breather, but she held up both hands, "You know what? You're right. I should have known better than to fall victim to you. It's my own fault. I should have never trusted you as a friend or cared about you in any way because, frankly, you don't deserve it."

She started to walk toward the door, but Logan grabbed her and spun her around, pushing her up against the wall. She struggled against him and even got a decent slap in before he grabbed her wrists and pinned them against the wall.

"Fine, Marie. You got me...you figured me out...are ya happy now? The truth is, I never wanted to hurt you! I'd never hurt you on purpose!"

Marie's chest was heaving, partly because of her recent struggles against him, but mostly because of the fact that she was holding back sobs.

A pain in her chest began to surface as she stared into his eyes...

He watched her expression soften, then eagerly leaned in for a fiery kiss.

Somehow, they ended up on the bed as Logan hungrily kissed her neck and his hands eagerly caressed her thigh.

Marie was almost completely lost in the sensations of his body on top of hers, but the remembrance of what she had to say to him was brought back to the forefront of her mind. Unfortunately, just as she tried to speak, Logan pushed her panties aside and began stroking her clit.

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as he continued kissing her neck, "Logan...oh...God...I have to tell you somethin'..."

He moved his lips up to her ear and nipped on her lobe, "...I need you, Marie..."

It was all too much for her. She couldn't possibly speak while he was doing this to her...

Within moments, they were both naked and Logan was busy kissing a trail down her body. He spread her knees and gently began kissing his way down the inside of her thigh, then dipped his face into her crevice.

He ran his tongue over her slit, then slowly dipped inside to taste her.

Marie jumped slightly and placed a hand on the back of his head to keep him in place as she writhed beneath him.

When the pleasure proved to be too much, Marie involuntarily started squirming away from him, so he grabbed her hips and held her firm as he continued to provide pleasure that was almost torturous in nature.

It didn't take long before Marie experienced a blinding orgasm that made her scream out and buck up against his face.

When her orgasm subsided, she was left panting and shivering on the bed. Logan smirked and raised up on his knees as he stared down at her glistening, quivering body.

He gave her a little bit of time to recover before slowly moving to lay beside her and kiss her neck again. Marie reached down and wrapped her slender fingers around his erection, then began gently and slowly stroking him.

Logan groaned as he closed his eyes and leaned his face into the nape of her neck as his thumb teased her nipple.

After a couple of moments, Logan let out a ragged breath and whispered, "I need to be inside of you..."

Marie swung her hips on top of his, straddling him, then slowly lowering herself down onto his cock. Shock waves were sent through both of their bodies once she sat atop him, fully impaled.

Logan ran his hands through his hair and tried desperately to reign his body in before slowly sliding his finger tips up her thighs, "Damn...you're so beautiful..."

She bit her bottom lip and slowly began rolling her hips onto him. Logan gritted his teeth and gripped her hips tight, helping guide her movements as she ground against him.

Marie put her head back and slowed her movements as the pleasure proved to be too much.

Sensing that she was close to orgasm, Logan sat up and began moving with her as she pressed her forehead against his.

Marie didn't realize that the pleasure she was experiencing was literally bringing tears to her eyes until she felt one streak down her cheek. She didn't care. She just wished this moment would last forever.

As she felt the familiar tingle in the pit of her stomach, she gasped and looked into his eyes, "Logan..."

She was barely able to move when her powerful climax washed over her and ripped her breath away.

Logan quickly flipped her onto her back and began wildly thrusting into her through her orgasm, making it last linger longer than she expected. He roared her name and froze as he felt himself pulse inside of her, spilling himself deep within her body.

When he rolled off of her, guilt washed over her.

She still hadn't told him about what happened with Scott, and she finding that she desperately wanted to take the easy way out.

Maybe she could just pretend it didn't happen...

As she slowly sat up, Logan did too. She glanced back at him as she pulled her shirt back over her head, "So...what now?"

He toyed with the edge of her shirt and leaned over to kiss the side of her neck, "I dunno, kid...we'll just take it a day at a time, OK?"

She nodded as he kissed her, then yanked her back down to the bed, "I never said I was done with you..."

Marie giggled as he pulled her back into bed for another mind blowing lovemaking session.

Sometime in the wee hours of the morning, she exited Logan's room in order to avoid prying eyes. The last thing she wanted was to get people talking about their "relationship" before they officially had one.

After going to her room, showering and laying back down for a few more hours of sleep, she woke up and began gathering up and separating her clothes for laundry day.

She heard a knock on the door, and answered, expecting it to be Logan. Surprisingly, it turned out to be none other than Scott.

It took her a while to recover from the surprise of seeing him after so many months, but soon, she was able to speak again, "Scott...hi."

"Hi Marie...you look great."

Marie bit her bottom lip and fidgeted, "Thanks...thanks a lot. How was your trip?"

"It was...reaffirming. Uh...do you have time to talk?"

She let out an uneasy breath, "I was just gonna take a do my laundry-"

"It'll only take a few minutes..."

She sighed and opened her room door wider before silently motioning him in. She closed the door behind him, "So...what's up?"

"Jean and I broke our engagement off."

Marie, who had picked up a laundry basket and moved to set it on a nearby armchair, froze. She slowly turned around, "Scott-"

"We had a lot of reasons for it...the distance...and the fact that there's no trust..."

She furrowed her eyebrows, "No trust?" Her eyes slowly widened in realization, "Scott...you didn't tell her about what happened between us, did you?"

He nodded, "I had to. It was eating away at me...I just came from talking to her."

"Oh God...Scott..." Marie dropped her laundry basket and rushed out, running full speed to Logan's room.

She urgently knocked on his door, but when she didn't get an answer, she opened it and found his room empty.

When she rushed past her room on her way toward the stairwell, Scott called her name, but she ignored him. Marie practically flew down the hallway and down the stairs, nearly slamming into Storm when she reached the bottom, "Whoa, there...I have enough of telling the kids not to run, now I have to tell you?"

Marie panted, "Sorry Storm...have you seen Logan?"

The white haired goddess nodded, "Yes. I saw him in the library with Jean a few minutes ago."

"Thanks", she said as she rushed down the hallway.

Marie skidded to a halt at the library doors. Her abrupt entrance immediately caught Logan and Jean's attention.

The redhead favored Marie with a glare that would have set a lesser person on fire, but Marie met her gaze head-on before turning her eyes to Logan, whose expression was no better.

_She told him..._

Just as she started to open her mouth, Scott entered the library behind her. Jean briefly allowed her eyes to glance at her ex-fiance before she looked back at Marie.

Logan's fists clenched as he glared at the newly arrived Scott, which prompted Marie to quickly blurt, "Would you two give us a moment alone?"

Jean glared, "I don't have to give you a damn thing after what you did to me."

Marie let out a breath and looked at Logan, who barely tore his gaze away from hers as he motioned toward Jean, "Give us a minute."

The telepath sauntered out without saying another word. Scott lingered in the doorway for a second, "Marie-"

"Scott. Please" she said quickly.

He slowly left and closed the door behind him. When the door was closed, Logan crossed his arms and let out a brief, bitter laugh, "Ya know...I gotta give it to ya. You have that whole, holier-than-thou act down pact."

"Logan, it's not-"

"IT'S NOT WHAT, MARIE?" he yelled, taking an intimidating step toward her. He growled as he turned around and began pacing like a caged animal in an effort to calm his anger.

She took a step forward as tears sprang to her eyes, "Logan...I was so hurt after what you did...and I hated Jean for what she was doin' to you...so I decided to kinda...help Scott even the score since you and Jean were...ya know-"

"Even the score? I never FUCKED her, Marie!" Again, he had to pause to reign in his anger. He shook his head and looked at her, "Even if I was, who does that? Why the hell would you fuck her fiance just to get me back? What the hell kinda person are you?"

Marie wiped her eyes and shook her head. She turned her face downward and whispered, "I'm what you made me." Logan started to respond, but she raised her voice, "I may have been completely and utterly wrong for what I did, but I was a virgin before that night with you, and after that...I was damaged goods."

"So this was my fault? You fucking an engaged man...all me?"

She shook her head, "Not completely, but you have to know...I never woulda done what I did if you hadn't used me as a coping mechanism after you got rejected by Jean. I take responsibility for my actions, but you have to take responsibility for your part in this mess."

Logan stayed quiet for a long time before he shook his head, "I'm outta here."

He stomped past her and threw open the library door, leaving her sobbing in the middle of the room by herself.  
******************************END OF FLASHBACK*************************

Dr. Stewart let out a breath, "So...Logan left the mansion again?"

"Yeah...and Jean went with him."

* * *

**Review please! I know this was long, but I hope you enjoyed it!**


	4. Chapter 4

That night, Marie received a call from Jamie, "Hey baby girl, are you havin' fun with daddy?"

"Mhmm. He took me to the zoo, and to the aquarium, and he taught me how to fish!"

She laughed a little, "I hope he didn't teach you how to fish AT the aquarium! Did you go out on a boat?"

"Yep! I caught two fishes."

Marie smiled, "Well, baby girl, you have fun. I'll see you in a few days. I love you."

"Oh mommy...daddy said that he wants to talk to you."

"Uhh, Jamie, I don't-"

Before she could hang up, she heard Logan's gravelly tone on the other end of the phone line, "Marie."

"Hey Logan...what's up?"

"I wanted to know if I could take the munchkin to Pennsylvania. There's some sort Thomas train-"

"Thomas the Tank Engine..."

"Right. Anyways, I was just asking if I could take her...since it's across state lines."

"Thanks for asking...but yeah. That sounds really fun."

There was a long pause before Logan suddenly spoke up, "Um...you wanna come with us? I could pick you up in the morning and-"

"I actually have some other plans, but thanks."

Logan sighed, "Right...I understand. Well, I'll see ya."

"Bye."

Marie hung up the phone and rubbed her eyes. Her next therapy session was in the morning and it couldn't come soon enough.

Twelve hours later, she sat in Dr. Stewart's office, sipping on a bottle of water. The doctor smiled, "So, yesterday, you were telling me that Logan left the mansion, and Jean went with him."

Marie nodded, "Yes."

"How did that make you feel?"

She shook her head a little as she searched for a proper way to describe her emotions, "I felt defeated and really really stupid...so I worked on trying to make amends.."

"You told Scott the truth?"

Marie nodded, "I was surprised that he wasn't mad. He seemed actually...thankful. He said he was glad that he and I slept together because if we hadn't, he probably would have ended up marrying someone he shouldn't have."

"So, then what happened?"

She sighed, "He asked me out...on a real live date. At first, I didn't really wanna do it, but I eventually agreed as long as he knew that I was not looking for a real relationship and, if anything did happen between us, it was going to be really really slow."

"How did you find out you were pregnant?"

Marie leaned back a little in her seat, "Well, that, is a story within itself."  
*************************4 YEARS AND 10 MONTHS AGO*****************  
Marie had been feeling a little ill on the day of she and Scott's first real date, but she decided to take some Pepto Bismol and tough it out. She knew that if she cancelled, Scott would take it personally.

They were set to go out to a movie, then to dinner.

The movie went great, but when they got to the restaurant, the smell of food began making Marie's stomach churn. She ordered ginger ale, and nibbled on crackers during the entire dinner.

At one point, Scott asked if she was alright, and she nodded, despite the fact that she felt like she was going to vomit at any moment.

When he got his food, Marie had to keep her eyes on her own plate of crackers and bread in order to keep from feeling any sicker.

After returning to the mansion, they stood on the front steps to say goodbye. Scott rocked on his heels a bit, "Well...that was a nice..."

Marie nodded in agreement, but was only half listening. He slowly leaned in to kiss her, but just before his lips touched hers, she turned around and rushed over to the edge of the stairs to lean over the rail and vomit into the bushes.

As she spit the last of the acidic fluid from her mouth, she heard Scott's voice, "Marie...are you alright?"

She shook her head, "Uh...no. Not really. I'm sorry, Scott, I've been sick all day and I didn't want to cancel..."

"Oh God...Marie, I would have understood. I'll take you upstairs."

Within a few minutes, she was in her room, sitting on the edge of the bed with a hand on her queasy stomach. He looked at her, "You're sure you'll be alright alone?"

She nodded, "Yes...thank you."

Scott leaned over, kissed her forehead, then left.

Marie continued to experience waves of nausea and vomiting almost every day.

At first, she dismissed the possibility of pregnancy since she had spotted a few weeks prior and her periods had always been irregular and often very light, but when she kept having to avoid the entire lower level of the mansion just so that she didn't have to smell food, she realized that the possibility was very real.

Her suspicions were confirmed days later when she took a test and was staring down at two pink lines.

She stared at the test for almost an hour, wondering if one of the lines were going to fade so that she could wake up from her nightmare...but no such luck.

Marie sought out prenatal care at Planned Parenthood, and also was counseled concerning her "options" while there.

She kept her pregnancy a secret for about a month before finally telling the professor, Kitty and Jubilee...then Scott, who was shocked and a little disappointed since he knew it meant that any chance of a romance with her was going to be put on indefinite hold.

When she was 18 weeks pregnant, she was caught off guard when Jubilee and Kitty burst into her room to announce that Logan and Jean were back.

Marie didn't speak for a full minute before Jubilee shook her shoulder, "Are you OK, chica?"

She snapped out of her shock for a moment to shake her head, "I'm not ready to see him."

"You barely look pregnant. I doubt he'll be able to tell anyways", said Kitty as she began rummaging through Marie's make up box.

Marie's heart stopped in her chest when they heard a knock on her door. Jubilee opened it to reveal Scott, who looked between the three young women, "I'm guessing you know?"

Jubilee nodded, "She's insisting on hiding out in here until the baby is born."

Marie rolled her eyes at her friends exaggeration, "That's not true."

Scott shrugged a little, "I told you, you could tell him it's mine."

She sighed, "And once again, I'm telling you...this baby isn't going to be apart of your revenge plot. Sicko."

Scott laughed and plopped down on the bed, "You're prolonging the inevitable."

"Yep..." Kitty agreed.

"I'm just not ready to tell him I'm pregnant."

Scott stood, "He's going to find out sooner or later, and the longer you try to hide it, the more it's just going to make you more stressed and paranoid. Just get it over with. Like ripping off a band aid."

Marie looked at him and nodded, "Ok...I'll tell him...tomorrow. Until then, you guys are bringing me my meals."

She managed to steer clear of Jean and Logan until after she returned from her doctor's appointment.

Jubilee had accompanied her, and Marie had gotten the chance to have an ultrasound and see the baby. It was an exciting experience...even if she wouldn't give into Jubilee's pressure to find out the sex of the baby.

Her little one was healthy, and that made her happy.

Her good mood soured almost as soon as she and Jubilee pulled into the mansion's garage. Jubilee turned to look at her, "Now, we got lucky leaving, but I don't know if you'll be able to avoid Logan forever."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

Jubilee sighed, "Does pregnancy make every woman this bitchy?"

Marie laughed and got out of the car. Just as she did, she spotted Logan entering the garage. Jubilee watched Marie stop in her tracks and slowly bring her purse to the front of her body to hide the small bump in her midsection.

Jubilee walked over to Marie and lowered her voice, "You need me to stay?"

She looked at her friend and silently shook her head, prompting Jubilee to leave.

Logan nodded a greeting to Jubilee as she walked past him. He slowly took his place beside the bike he used when he was in town and began tinkering around on it. It had been sitting for the entire duration of his absence and was in need of some TLC.

It seemed like he had nothing to say to her, so Marie decided to take that opportunity to walk out.

Just as she reached the steps, Logan spoke without even bothering to look up, "Don't know how to say 'hi' anymore, kid?"

Marie turned around, "Uh...no-I mean, yeah-hi, Logan. How are you?"

He turned his head to look at her and scrunched up his eyebrows, "Why are you so jumpy?"

"Who's jumpy? I'm not jumpy. Are you?"

Logan stared at her like she had two heads for a few seconds, then turned his attentions back to the bike, "So. What's new?"

Marie started to open her mouth to lie and say 'nothing', but she was really trying to leave all of the lying and truth omissions in her past, so she lowered her head and took a deep breath before turning around and slowly walking back toward Logan.

As she did, she put her bag back on her shoulder, no longer bothering to hide her stomach as she approached his oblivious form.

"Lots, actually..."

She watched as he nodded and tightened a bolt on the bike, "Yeah, well, I've been gone for a long time..."

"Yeah...about 18 weeks and 3 days...to be more precise." Logan stopped his work and turned to look at her. She caught his expression and shook her head, "It's not because I was counting the days or anything...it's just what the doctor said."

"Doctor?"

Marie nodded before slowly reaching into her purse and pulling out the ultrasound picture of their baby. When she held out her hand to give it to him, he hesitated as if him actually taking it would make the fact that she was pregnant with his child even more true.

He stayed incredibly silent and chillingly still as he stared down at the picture. When he finally moved, he turned away from her and let out a deep, shivering breath, "I don't know what you expect me to say about this."

"Truthfully, I don't expect you to say anything. When I first found out, I was in denial for about a week...and I'm the one who's actually pregnant, so I'm sure you get an extended grace period."

Logan turned around to look at her...really look at her.

Now that he was staring, he saw the belly now...along with the larger breasts and radiant glow to her skin.

She looked gorgeous...but he couldn't let that derail his train of thought.

He shook his head and handed the ultrasound picture back, "So I'm guessing you're gonna keep it."

She tried not to take offense to that statement as she nodded, "Yeah."

"I'm sorry, I'm just...you and I didn't leave with things great...and I'm with Jean now...and you knew that...but you still kept it..."

She sighed, "Believe it or not, Mr. Egomaniac...my keeping this baby had about as much to do with you as Keanu Reeves does with the theory of relativity. I'm keeping this baby because, in my heart, I felt it was the right thing to do for me. I was planning a life with this baby...regardless of whether you choose to be around or not."

Marie walked out, leaving him alone and conflicted.  
*****************END FLASHBACK*****************

Dr. Stewart shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she bit on her pen cap, "That had to be difficult for you...him reacting that way..."

Marie shrugged a little, "It was partly what I expected. He's not exactly fatherly material and, as you know, at that point, I'm sure he was still pissed at me about the whole Scott debacle."

"Did you see Jean?"

She laughed, "Her reaction was pretty priceless, but for the most part, she steered clear of me."

Dr. Stewart wrote some things down, "So, how was your emotional state during your pregnancy? Did Logan ever get involved?"

Marie nodded, "A few weeks later, he HAD to get involved..."

**********************4 YEARS AND 9 MONTHS AGO********************

It was fall, and a new semester was starting at Xavier's School for the Gifted. Everyone was ridiculously busy, including Marie, who had volunteered to do everything from decorating for the Welcome Dance to helping organize move-ins for new residents. She needed something to keep her busy and keep her mind off of Jean and Logan, who she frequently saw holding hands and canoodling in the mansion's common areas.

Every time Marie entered a room that Jean and Logan just happened to be in, Jean would take special care to show Logan extra affection. It was obvious that Jean was more than a little threatened by the fact that Marie was carrying Logan's child, so she made up for it by being a complete and total bitch.

In response, Marie buried herself in work, willing herself to forget that the man she loved and the father of her child was not only with another woman, but also refusing to acknowledge his own impending fatherhood.

Marie did notice that Logan didn't look nearly as happy as she thought a man who was with the woman of his dreams should look...but, then again, Logan had never been a beacon of emotional expression, so perhaps he was happy and just chose not to show it.

Despite the fact that it was September in Westchester, the temperature was still a balmy 85 degrees during the day.

Marie had spent all day decorating the cafeteria and helping get new residents settled when all of the work finally started to catch up to her.

She paused while hanging some streamers and slowly put a hand on the side of her stomach as a dull ache began building. She sucked in a breath when the ache began to radiate over her stomach.

Just as she was lowering herself into a seat, Logan entered the room. He started to walk right back out, but he immediately took note of her demeanor and realized that she was in pain.

He cautiously took a step forward, "Kid...you OK?"

Marie let out a breath as he walked over to her, "I think so..."

Logan slowly moved to help her out of her chair, "I'll help you to your room."

As they slowly started walking out, Marie's knees weakened as a pain shot through her. She cried out and started to crumple to the ground, but Logan caught her and quickly picked her up in his arms as he rushed out of the room.

Within fifteen minutes, Logan had safely gotten her to the ER.

It took two hours before anyone came out to talk to him.

A petite, older nurse approached, "You came with Marie, right?"

He nodded quickly, "Everything OK?"

"She's fine. She's receiving IV fluids right now...turns out the poor dear was dehydrated and completely exhausted. Dehydration can cause contractions, so that explains why she was that pain...she and baby should be fine. We're just going to finish running some tests, and she'll be good to go once she finishes her bag of fluid. I can take you to go see her now, if you like."

Despite the voice in his head that tried to remind him to stay mad at her and to stay indifferent to the baby she carried, he followed the nurse through the double doors and down the hallway to Marie's room.

As soon as he entered, he was confronted with the sound of an intensely fast, fluid heartbeat. Another nurse was standing beside Marie's bed with an ultrasound machine, examining the baby.

Logan figured out a way to side step and look at the screen without appearing too interested.

When he saw the image of a baby that was clearly sucking its thumb, he couldn't help but get drawn in.

When the ultrasound ended, Marie cleared her throat, "Thanks for bringin' me to the hospital..."

"Don't mention it...what the hell are you doin' dehydrated and exhausted?"

She pursed her lips, "I guess I need to slow down..."

"Yeah..."

Marie looked down at the IV in her hand and sighed, "You don't have to stay. I can call someone to pick me up when I'm done here."

"No. It's OK...I wanna stay."

She nodded, "Thanks."

* * *

Over the next several weeks, Marie found herself being watched over by Logan. She would catch him staring at her from across the room, or checking in on her through the partition window in her classroom. She would also often find a fresh, cold bottle of water in her classroom or on her nightstand when she arrived.

Marie tried not to over think anything, but she knew that those little water bottles were a big gesture.

Logan cared...and that was a huge deal.

She sat alone one evening, half watching television in the den as she flipped through a Babies R' Us catalog when Logan walked in.

Marie sensed his presence before she even saw him, so she turned around, "Hey..."

"Hi. Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Can't sleep", she said with a sigh.

Logan shoved his hands in his pockets as he contemplated joining her on the couch. After a few moments of internal dialogue, he plopped down next to her, "What are you lookin' at?"

"Baby stuff."

He reached over and pulled the catalog out of her hands without bothering to ask for it. He flipped through a few pages and sighed, "Why do they have a million different types of car seats?"

She laughed, "I don't know. I just know they're expensive."

Logan looked at the prices and nodded before clearing his throat, "So...uh...what all does a kid need when they come home? Like...necessities..."

Marie bit her bottom lip and thought, "Well...a car seat...a crib or something to sleep in...diapers, wipes...and some clothes and blankets...probably some bottles and formula if breastfeeding doesn't work out..."

He nodded a little as he stood, "Look...just make a list of the crap you need and I'll get it."

Marie was so surprised, she almost forget to utter "thank you" as he walked out of the room.  
***************************END OF FLASHBACK*********************

"So, that was a fairly significant gesture on Logan's part, wasn't it?"

Marie nodded, "Very significant. Logan's not a talker...and I knew he was never gonna start a big conversation about how things went between us...but I knew that, with time, he might do the right thing."

"It sounds like, no matter what he does, you'll always believe that he has a good heart."

She nodded in agreement, "That's absolutely true...I can't help but think that..."

* * *

**Wow wow wow! You guys ROCK for all of these reviews! I had no idea I would get such an overwhelming response from this story. I hope to continue to do all of you proud and I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read and review this story.**

**Please continue reviewing!  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Please excuse any mistakes in this chapter. I haven't had the chance to do any self-checks on this one!**

* * *

Marie sat in Dr. Stewart's office, staring out the window.

"Marie...Marie...are you alright?"

She snapped her attention back to her therapist, "Hm? I'm sorry..."

"Got a little lost in your own thoughts?"

Maire nodded, "Yeah. Sorry."

"Don't be...what were you thinking about?"

She sighed, "I was thinking about when I finally set Logan free..."

*******************FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO****************

Marie slammed the baby name book shut and tossed it onto her bed. She was completely stuck on baby name ideas and her due date was under two months away.

She stood and walked over to the corner that housed all of the baby items Logan had recently bought.

The crib was still in a large box, unassembled.

He'd promised to put it together, but every time he made plans to, Jean would magically come up with something for them to do or get him away from the mansion.

Marie was starting to switch into Mama Bear mode...

It was one thing to manipulate Logan into not spending time with her...but manipulating him into not taking an active role as a father was quite another.

As she stood, looking at the pile of things, she began growing angrier and angrier.

Pretty soon, her anger, combined with her pregnancy hormones had her seeing red, so she stomped out of her room and made a beeline to Jean's room.

Logan was out of town, following yet another lead involving his past, so now as the perfect time to confront Jean about her meddling.

After a couple of very pronounced knocks, Jean answered. She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, "Marie. What do you want?"

"I need to speak to Logan. It's about the baby."

Jean crossed her arms, "He's not here right now. But I'll be sure to let him know you have to talk to him about your baby."

Jean started to close the door, but Marie slammed her palm against the door to keep it from closing, "Look, Jean...I know you have beef with me, and that's completely fine. But like it or not, this baby is Logan's. His and mine...and you have absolutely no right to take the issues you have with me out on an innocent child. If he wants to be there for his child, you should not get in the way of that."

The telepath glared at her, "You decided to keep that baby without his input...and if you had bothered to get his opinion, you would have found out that he has no interest in being a father...so I don't see why your decision to play house should affect everyone else's lives."

Marie crossed her arms, "Wow. So this is all about you? I'm having his baby, and now it's inconvenient for you, so you want to pretend like it doesn't exist because it messes up your picture perfect world?"

"That's not-"

"Yes it is. It's completely true. Whether Logan decides to be there for this child is on him...but it needs to be HIS decision. I know that you're terrified that this baby will bring us closer...but I can tell you, Jean...I know I hurt you in the past, and I'm sorry for that...but I'm not planning on repeating my mistakes. I promise to respect your relationship with Logan...but, if you interfere with his ability to be there for his child...it'll be war."

Scott rounded the corner just as Jean slammed the door. By the time he reached Marie, she had tears in her eyes.

He put an arm around her, "Are you OK?"

Marie sighed and wiped at her eyes, "I wanna get outta here."

"Sure...OK...let's go."

Fifteen minutes, Scott and Marie were sitting on a park bench. She sighed, "I knew this was gonna be hard...but I didn't think I'd have some resentful bitch makin' it even harder..."

He grasped her hand, "What is she doing?"

"Logan stepped up a little and bought the baby's crib, car seat and some other stuff...but he keeps flaking out on helping me set everything up because Jean always wants something...or needs him to do something. I understand they're in a serious relationship, but...he isn't dependable because of her. She's doing everything in her power to get between him and this baby."

Scott sighed, "I understand...it is wrong of her to get between him and the baby...but the thing is...the baby is still inside of you...and it's you she has the issue with...and she does have reason to."

Marie looked at him for a while before nodding, "You're right. I slept with her fiance..."

"No. I mean...Logan..."

She furrowed her eyebrows, "What are you talking about?"

Scott sat back a little, "I hate to admit this, but even I can see that you and him have this really dynamic, other-worldly connection. She'd be an idiot not to realize the threat. She is psychic, ya know. Maybe some of Logan's thoughts in regards to you have made her put her guard up so much? Who's to say that she won't relax a little once the baby is actually here and Logan can actually be a father without actually being around you?"

Marie bit her lip, "I want what's best for this kid...so I hope, for everyone's sake, that that is the case...but really, she has absolutely nothing to worry about. The only thing Logan and I share is this baby...everything else is a distant memory."

"You really think so?"

She nodded affirmatively, "I know so."

When Scott and Marie returned to the mansion, he promised he'd put together the crib  
whenever she wanted.

A couple of days after Logan returned the following week, she walked into her room to find Logan placing the mattress inside the fully assembled crib.

She stopped in her tracks as her mouth dropped open, "Logan..."

He smirked, "Don't look so surprised, kid. I told you I would do it..."

Marie stepped into her room and closed the door behind her, "I guess you heard Scott said he was gonna do it."

Logan bristled slightly, "You need somethin' for that kid, you should come to me."

"I would...if I could count on you...or if you showed any real interest", she muttered.

"Can you really blame me for not knowin' how to handle this?"

She sighed, "No. I can't...I just...wish you at least acted like you wanted to be more involved."

"I'm not a fuckin' mind reader. If you want somethin', you gotta tell me."

Marie nodded, "Fine...I will...but you have to make it a point to take initiative. I've never done this before. I have my own hands full navigating through this situation and I don't necessarily have time to hand hold and tell you what to do every step of the way. You need to figure it out yourself."

Logan looked away and slowly nodded in agreement, "You're right."

She pursed her lips, "Did you find out anything about your past?"

He dropped his head back and rubbed his neck, "I found out everything..."

For some reason, Logan proceeded to spill his guts about his newly discovered past as he set up the baby swing.

He revealed his kinship to Sabertooth, his past as a mercenary, and the many wores he apparently fought in.

Almost an hour later, the swing was finished and Marie was mulling over Logan's real name, "James...James Logan Howlett."

"Why do you keep saying it?"

Marie laughed a little, "Your name...is James."

"Yeah...and?"

She laughed a little bit more, "You really don't look like a James."

"No kiddin'", he snorted.

Marie cocked her head to the side, "You know...I've always liked the name Jamie. I kept coming back to it in all of my baby name books."

"For a boy?"

She shrugged her shoulders a little, "Or for a girl..."

"You'd want to name this kid after me?"

Marie shrugged again, "It would be coincidental...I guess this whole James-Jamie thing is like a sign."

"Jamie...I like it."

She let out a breath and put a hand on her belly as Logan raised a brow, "You OK?"

Marie grabbed his hand and put it on the side of her stomach. Before that moment, Logan had never felt the baby move, so now, as he felt one of his child's limbs poking against his hand through her belly, he was nearly overwhelmed by the moment.

Logan's demeanor remained stoic as he slowly nodded and spread his fingers over her belly a bit more, "Whoa...he's on the move, huh?"

She laughed softly and nodded, "Yeah..."

He slowly moved his hand lower on her stomach to follow the nudges and pokes of the baby's various extremities. As his hand moved lower, she sucked in a breath and looked up into his eyes.

Logan used his other free hand to grasp the back of her head and pull her lips to his for a kiss. Marie kissed him back for a few seconds before putting her hands against his chest and shoving as hard as she could, "NO!" They were both panting as Marie slowly lowered herself onto the bed and shook her head, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry-"

She threw her hands up, "We can't do that anymore!"

"I know-"

"You're with Jean!" she almost yelled.

"I KNOW!" Logan actually did yell.

Marie was stunned into silence as tears threatened to fall from her wide eyes.

Logan turned away from her and ran his hand through his hair, "This is why I didn't wanna touch you...or get too close. I mean...we were friends for so long...and you've always been so damn easy to talk to...and now, you're carryin' my kid...so when I see you, I get these damn feelings...and it confuses the hell outta me..."

She turned away, "I can't be jerked around anymore, Logan. This is too much for me. I need stability for this baby, and our best bet is just to be friends...who happen to share a child. That way, we can establish a way of life for this kid that won't ever change."

He nodded slowly, "Ok."

"I think you should go..."

Logan nodded, "Fine."

After he left, she allowed the tears to flow freely.  
********************END FLASHBACK****************

Marie stared out the window, "I felt like we had to set each other free. Of course, I woulda loved to give my kid the perfect little nuclear family we all see on TV...but I knew that would never happen for us...so I settled for what I COULD give my baby."

"What is that?"

"Two parents who can peacefully co-parent without worrying about bickering, past mistakes and placing blame..."

* * *

**Review please! **


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm seriously about to earn this "Angst" category within these next few chapters...so here's a warning...**

* * *

Dr. Stewart thoughtfully turned her pen in her delicate fingers, "It seems like you made the best decision you could...given your circumstances."

"I thought so. I know Jean had a decent reason to hate me...but I never knew that my sins would affect my child."

"Marie...you do not deserve to be punished for the rest of your life for what you did. You made a mistake. The only thing you owe to anyone, including Jean, is to learn from it, apologize, and move on. If you weren't genuinely sorry, I could understand the self-hate, but you have a decent and kind heart. You deserve to move on from this..."

"I guess you're right."

Dr. Stewart jotted down some notes, "So...did Jean give you anymore problems?"

Marie looked away, "The day Jamie was born..."

"What happened?"

*************************FOUR YEARS AND FOUR MONTHS AGO********************

Marie was three days past her due date and being watched like a ticking time bomb by everyone.

Even Logan began to be jittery and nervous.

Marie woke up that morning feeling some "mild" cramping, but she took a bath and ignored it. When the cramping persisted and moved into her back, she decided to take a walk around the mansion, thinking that she was probably on the cusp of starting labor and a decent walk would help push things over the edge.

She happened upon Jean in the hallway, who was busy showing off her new shoes to Storm, "They're Jimmy Choos! I got them on sale at 50% off! Aren't they divine?" Jean turned her eyes to Marie, "Oh. Hello."

Marie raised a brow, "I see you've been shopping."

Jean stuck a foot out to show her, "Mmhmm...Jimmy Choos...that's a famous shoe designer..."

Marie was able to ignore the pain in her lower back long enough to retort through clenched teeth, "I know who Jimmy Choo is..."

No sooner had the words left her mouth did Marie feel intense pressure, followed by a *pop*.

A gush of water landed on the floor below her...and splashed onto Jean's nearby outstretched foot.

She shrieked and jumped away as Marie held the side of her stomach and let out a breath, "Oh God..."

Storm sprung into action and immediately put an arm around Marie, helping support her weight as she began helping her toward the nearest seat, "Jean, stay with her and help time her contractions while I go get Logan."

Storm was gone before Jean could say anything. She was too busy trying to shake amniotic fluid off of her precious designer shoes to pay attention to anything...including the pregnant lady who was in labor mere feet away from her.

When Storm returned, she had Scott, Jubilee and Logan with her.

It seemed like she told everyone she ran into on her way to Logan that Marie was in labor.

Marie was in too much pain to argue with having an entourage and she was too busy concentrating on her breathing to notice that Logan and Scott ended up in a brief squabble over who would help her to the car.

Scott won by default because Jean ended up distracting Logan by feigning a near-slip in the puddle of Marie's water.

Forty five minutes later, Marie was in the hospital bed, breathing through intense contractions. Scott sat next to her bed, watching the contractions on the monitor and holding her hand, "Ok...ok...almost over...almost over...good...good...that looked like a big one. You're doing great."

Marie breathed out heavily, "God...I didn't know it would hurt so bad this fast!"

The nurse who was placing her IV smiled, "Well, you're a first time mom, so there's a chance you've been in labor for a few hours and just didn't know it. Have you been experiencing any cramping or anything?"

Marie nodded, "Yeah. I've been feeling cramps since I woke up this morning."

The nurse nodded, "Yep. You've probably been in labor for all day and didn't realize it."

Marie started to say something else, but was rendered silent by another powerful contraction.

She let out a loud breath when it subsided, "God...I don't know if I wanna follow my natural birth plan for much longer..."

"You're doing great, Marie. Just relax. Do you need anything?"

She looked at him with pleading eyes, "Where's Logan?"

Scott nodded a little, "I'll go check."

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before leaving her room and stepping out into the hallway. He made his way down to the waiting room to find Logan sitting next to Jean as she whispered in his ear.

Scott raised his hands, "What the hell is this? Why aren't you in there? This isn't 1964, Logan. The doctor isn't going to come out here and smoke a cigar with you to announce the birth of your kid. You need to be in there, supporting her."

Jean gave Logan's bicep a squeeze as he stood, "It's a real...intimate time, and I don't want Marie to get confused when she starts feelin' all the emotions and hormonal changes that come along with seein' the baby for the first time..."

"Intimate? Emotions? Hormones?" Scott glared at Logan, then turned his heated gaze toward Jean, "You think you can fool me? I can smell your manipulations a mile away, Jean." He turned his eyes back to Logan, "Did you have to write the speech she dictated to you on your hand, or were you able to store all of those convenient keywords up in that metal skull of yours?"

Jean stood, "I'm not manipulating anything. Logan's making the right decision on his own."

Jubilee stood, "This is a crock of shit! Marie is in there, squeezing your hard headed baby out, you're just gonna sit next to that she-devil and wait?"

Jean favored Jubilee with a glare before crossing her arms, "Marie probably knew that doing this alone was a part of the deal."

Scott slowly shook his head in disappointment and glared at Logan, "Big man...Wolverine...can't handle being there for birth of his own kid because he's afraid of feelings..."

Scott took Jubilee's shoulder and guided her away before going back to Marie's room.

When they entered, he smiled and motioned toward Jubilee, "Look who I brought with me!"

Marie smiled wearily, "Jubes...hey..."

"Hey chica! I know you're in a lot of pain, but my firecrackers can offer plenty of distraction."

Scott laughed, "I don't think that creating fireworks in a room near oxygen tanks is the brightest idea...but I'm sure Marie appreciates the sentiment."

Marie forced a small laugh, "I do..." She turned serious and bit her bottom lip, "He's not comin' in here...is he?"

Scott and Jubilee exchanged looks before he slowly sat down on the edge of Marie's bed, "Maybe now isn't the best time for him to be in here..."

She shook her head and breathed out as another contraction hit, "Oh...god..."

Scott quickly took her hand and allowed her to squeeze to her hearts content. When the contraction subsided, she had tears on her cheeks...and it wasn't because of the pain.

Jubilee grabbed a tissue and dabbed at Marie's face, "It's alright, chica..."

Throughout the labor, Scott and Jubilee stayed mum on Marie and the baby's condition because of Logan's(Jean's) refusal to go into the room to check for himself. If he asked, they'd just say, "Why don't you go see for yourself?" or "We'll tell you when the baby is here."

She was in labor for nearly seven hours (not including the time she spent laboring around the mansion) before dips in the baby's heartbeat began to concern the doctors. They continued to keep a close eye on everything, but when the nurse noticed something on the monitor, they began rushing into the room and breaking down Marie's bed.

The doctor walked in, "Marie. Listen. Your baby is in distress. You've only progressed to 6 centimeters, so I'm going to need to perform an emergency c-section."

"What? But I..I wanted to do this naturally!"

The doctor nodded sympathetically, "I understand, but with every passing contraction, your baby's heartrate is dipping lower and lower and you're not progressed enough to continue to labor...if I don't perform the c-section, I can't guarantee that your baby will be alright."

Marie looked at Scott, then Jubilee, then back at the doctor, "Ok..."

Jubilee hugged Marie before she and Scott were forced to leave the room so that they could give Marie a spinal and prep her for surgery.

Once they were in the hallway, Scott turned to Jubilee, "You need to tell Logan."

"I thought-"

"He may be an asshole and he may not deserve either of them...but he does need to know that there's an emergency."

"Fine. I'll go tell him," she said before rushing away.

Scott turned around just in time to see Marie getting wheeled into the hallway. She quickly reached for him, "Scott..."

He grabbed her hand, "It'll be alright...you're in good hands. You'll be meeting that baby soon, OK?"

Marie nodded as they began wheeling her away, forcing her hand to slowly slip out of his.

He clenched his fists as he watched her disappear through the double doors.

A couple of minutes later, Logan came rushing down the hallway with Jubilee. As soon as he was within striking distance, Scott nailed him right in the eye socket with a leveling punch.

The fact that Logan was hit in such a vulnerable spot knocked him down. He shook his head and looked up at Scott as he held a hand over his afflicted eye, "What the hell?"

Scott itched to lift up his glasses and blast a hole in Logan's chest, "You should have seen her face, you son of a bitch! She was in labor for hours! Crying out in pain, shaking uncontrollably from the force of each contraction...and you never even bothered to check in on her! You waited in that room with that bitch like a coward! Now, she's all alone in that goddamn operating room, thinking that she has no one in the world..." Scott took a step closer as Logan got back up to his feet, "I hope Jean was worth all of this...cause I damn sure don't think she is...and I would know..."

Surprisingly, Logan didn't say a word in retaliation. He just stood there, staring at his adversary with hollow eyes.

An hour later, a nurse came to the waiting room, "Scott?"

He hopped to his feet, "Yes?"

"Marie asked for you..."

Logan slowly stood, seemingly expecting the nurse to say something to him, but when she simply held the door open for Scott, he lowered his head and closed his eyes.

After Scott left, Jean gently placed a hand on his arm, but he angrily snatched away and stomped out of the room.

When Scott was led into Marie's hospital room, he was surprised to find it empty, save for one nurse, gently bundling a baby that was laying inside of a small hospital crib.

Scott turned to the nurse, "Is that-"

"That's her baby girl...just under an hour old."

He slowly took a step forward, "Where's Marie?"

"She's just coming out of surgery. She wanted you to be here to wait with the baby since she knew she wouldn't get to see her for a while after the birth..."

He slowly walked toward the crib and looked down at the little pink bundled baby, "She's alright?"

The nurse nodded, "Perfectly healthy. Seven pounds, three ounces, 18 inches long...APGAR score of 9...she's perfect. All she needs now is a name."

"I'm sure her mother will take care of that."

The nurse stepped forward, "She told us that it was alright for you to hold her. Would you like to?"

"I should wash my hands first..."

After giving himself a full scrubbing, and even convincing the nurse to fetch him a fresh scrub top so that he didn't get "outside germs" on the newborn, he slowly and cautiously picked up the bundle and gently cradled her against his chest, "She's so small..."

About twenty minutes later, Marie was rolled into the room. She looked exhausted, but brightened as soon as she saw Scott sitting in the rocking chair with her baby in his arms.

"There she is..."

After they helped Marie into her bed, Scott handed the baby to her and gave her time to coo and swoon over her.

It was an hour before she finally acknowledge Scott's presence, "Thank you so much for bein' here for her...I didn't want her to just be layin' there all alone right after they took her out..." Marie paused and sniffled as she gently rocked the baby in her arms, "I wanted someone with her...who she knew cared about her...I didn't want her to be all alone..."

Scott placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and squeezed, "Neither of you will ever be alone..."  
********************END FLASHBACK**********************  
"That's quite a promise for Scott to make to you...knowing your history with him."

Marie let out a deep breath and put her face in her hands as tears began to fall. She was sobbing by the time Dr. Stewart leaned over to hand her tissues.

She desperately tried to suck in a deep breath as she wiped at her face, "Scott was so wonderful...despite everything, he was so wonderful to me...and to Jamie."

"Did he step in where Logan couldn't?"

Marie sighed, "I didn't let Logan see Jamie until after I got released from the hospital. I know now that that was wrong of me...but I couldn't look at him after what he did..."

"I understand."

When she finally calmed herself she breathed out, "I mean...Logan was there, but he was pretty hesitant in everything when it came to taking care of Jamie. He seemed almost scared of her at times. You could tell it didn't come natural to him...but Scott was there to keep me sane. He never pressured me for more than I could give...because he knew I was giving everything to Jamie...and he didn't want to be a distraction."

Dr. Stewart noted the emotion in Marie's voice and nodded sympathetically, "Tell me what happened next..."

Marie wiped at her eyes and tried to smile through her tears as she looked up at her therapist, "I fell in love with Scott...and then my world fell apart."

* * *

**I know you'd love to set Jean on fire and use Logan as a metal conductor in a lightning storm...but please review! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Ok folks- fair warning for this chapter- IT'S REALLY LONG and there is some MAJOR ANGST ahead. So, if you're not ready to have your heart broken, don't read.**

**The total word count for this one is probably the longest of any chapter I've ever written. It took me a long time to finish it...mainly because I couldn't figure out where to break it.  
**

* * *

"I know this is where your life took some major turns...just take your time."

Marie ran a hand through her hair and looked up at the ceiling, "I just...I don't know where to begin."

"How long before you and Scott got together?"

She smiled at the memory, "I guess it was when he showed up when I REALLY needed him."  
******************************4 YEARS AND TWO MONTHS AGO**************************  
Logan came by her room every day to see Jamie.

Marie said nothing to him during those times, unless it was along the lines of "hand me that diaper" or "she's ready for a bottle".

She didn't even offer to let him hold her until nearly three weeks in...and it was only because Marie had spent the past 20 hours awake with a colicky newborn and she was in desperate need of some shut eye.

Marie fell into a deep sleep and awoke to an empty room almost three hours later.

She practically flew out of her room in a half-asleep, dazed panic.

Marie almost slammed directly into Scott's chest when she rounded the corner, but he saved them both from the collision by grabbing her shoulders, "Whoa! What are you doing rushing around?"

"Jamie! Where's Jamie?"

By the looks of the wrinkle in the bridge of Scott's nose, she could tell he was confused, "What are you talking about?"

"I fell asleep! Logan was supposed to be in there, watching her when I fell asleep and now they're gone!"

Scott nodded slowly and rubbed his hands down her arms, "Calm down. I'm sure they're around here somewhere."

He put an arm around her and led her to Logan's room, where he knocked. When Jean opened, Marie barged in and found Logan sitting on the bed with Jamie.

Scott stayed in the doorway as Marie confronted him, "What do you think you're doing?"

"You were asleep and I was tired of trying to be quiet, so I came down here."

Marie shot a glare at Jean, "It's bad enough that my child has to live under the same roof as that woman, but I'll be damned if you let her around my baby while I'm not there."

"Jamie is just as much his daughter as she is yours, Marie" said Jean snootily.

"I'm starting to wish that weren't true", said Marie as she leaned down and took Jamie away from Logan before turning to walk out.

Logan actually looked hurt at by that comment.

He started to follow, but Scott stepped in the doorway, stared him down, then reached into the room and closed the door.

When Marie returned to her room and put Jamie in her crib, Scott sat down on the bed and put an arm around her, "You alright?"

She shook her head, "No."

"I know this can't be easy."

Marie laughed a little, "Understatement of the century..."

Scott gave her a little squeeze as he laughed with her then glanced over at Jamie's crib, "You know...I hate Logan as much as the next, sane person...but you have to figure out how you're going to handle custody and visitations. I know you said you wanted a stable life for Jamie...so maybe you should work out some sort of schedule."

"You're right...but whatever schedule we do workout better exclude Jean Grey. After the manipulations she pulled when Jamie was born, I can't trust her around my child...and I can't trust Logan to act in Jamie's best interest when he's being manipulated by Jean. She has this sick hold on him...what is that?"

"Love."

Marie snorted, "I don't think so...what they share is sick...it's twisted...it's-"

"Love." When she laughed a little, Scott raised his brows, "I'm serious. It's not pretty...and it's certainly not 'right' per se...but it's love...and it tends to override ones sense of right or wrong. People who end up in love with the wrong person tend to get used up...at least...that's what I think happened to me. Why else would I have stayed with her while she was making a fool of me all those years?"

Marie sighed, "I'm sorry she hurt you...and I'm even more sorry I hurt you."

"I wish you'd stop punishing yourself for that. It's in the past. Don't let anyone convince you that you're not a good person...cause you are."

She looked up into his red tinted glasses and sighed, "You're an amazing man, Scott Summers..."

"And you're an amazing woman. Don't ever forget that", he laid a gentle kiss on her forehead before getting up and leaving.

Two months later, Marie and Logan had a visitation schedule worked out that allowed Logan visits in her room every afternoon with Jamie.

He knew why they were supervised, and still felt too guilty about the whole birth debacle to fight it, so he seemed thankful that she at least let him see the kid.

Logan wasn't the greatest at diaper duty or feedings, but he tried.

Marie knew that he was probably the type of dad who would get much better when the kid was older and able to talk and "do stuff", as Logan said.

She continued to remain quiet during Logan's visitation, often using those times to straighten up her room, wash bottles, or, on more than one occasion, take long, luxurious baths.

It was during one such bath that Logan was unable to locate Jamie's diaper rash ointment.

Marie was laying in the bathtub with a cool washcloth covering her eyes when Logan knocked on the door.

"What?" she groaned.

"Where's the cream for her butt?"

Marie lifted up the wash cloth to peek at the countertop next to her. She sucked her teeth when she laid eyes on the tube of Desitin cream sitting next to the sink, "It's in here."

Apparently, Logan must have taken that as a cue to come in and get it, because, before she could react, he walked into the bathroom.

She _almost _panicked, but instead, she settled in the water and let out a breath before covering her eyes with the wash cloth again.

He had the perfect Jean Grey in his bed every night, so why would he care to drool over a woman who'd just had a baby 10 weeks prior and hadn't worked out in nearly a year?

Marie was too tired and too resigned to her fate to make any moves to cover herself, so she simply motioned toward the tube of ointment, "There it is. Try not to slather it on this time, will ya?"

Logan felt like he was frozen for an eternity before he could even move again. His eyes wandered over her body as he kept asking himself if that body had indeed housed a child less than three months prior...cause she damn sure didn't look it...aside from a soft, fading ripple of stretch marks along her hips and a subtle softness to her belly, he would have never been able to tell.

Something about her body was so damn warm...so welcoming...he had to fight the intense urge to step into the tub with her and hold her close before kissing every inch of delicious skin...but instead, he picked up the tube of diaper rash cream, turned on his heel, and left.

A week later, Marie asked Scott out for dinner.

She wanted to show him how much she appreciated him for all of his support...and wanted to see where a simple dinner could possibly take them.

Marie knew she had started to fall for Scott from the moment she saw him holding Jamie directly after her birth.

He was caring, attentive, stable and loyal. Everything she wanted and needed in a partner...especially now that she had Jamie to think of.

That evening, while Jubilee babysat a sleeping Jamie, Marie took Scott out to dinner at a small Italian bistro.

The conversation was pleasant and natural...like it usually was.

When they returned to the mansion, Marie started to say goodnight to Scott at her door, but when he turned to make his way down the hall to his own room, she called after him, "Um...I...would you...uh...I'm gonna tell Jubilee she can go back to her room...do you think that...after, you-"

Scott walked back over to her and took her by the waist before pulling her close and laying a loving kiss on her lips.

When the kiss drew to a close, Marie was breathless. Scott smiled, "We have plenty of time to do that...I want us to take this slow...for your sake, and for Jamie's...OK?"

That response made Marie grab him and kiss him hard. Scott practically had to peel her off of him when Jubilee opened the door behind her.

Marie ran a hand threw her disheveled hair, "Oh. Hi Jubes...we were just...saying goodnight."

"Suuuure you were..."

Scott kissed Marie's cheek, "I'll see you tomorrow."

They dated for almost three months before they made love.

Of course, their quickie in the garage had been fun and satisfying, but Marie had no idea how much of an extremely attentive, intuitive lover he could be when he was in a situation that didn't involve the fear of getting caught or underlying guilt.

Marie loved being in his arms, and, as far as she was concerned, it was the safest place in the world for her.

In those arms, she would never be hurt, betrayed or neglected.

Logan picked up on their romance fairly quickly, and his mood toward everyone, including Jean, soured because of it. He didn't even realize it until Jean noted that she couldn't even ask him what time it was without him biting her head off.

He always seemed even more annoyed after a visit with Jamie. Scott was always there, playing house with Marie and his daughter. He caught himself walking in and feeling like he was interrupting some intimate family moment...then he would remember that **HE**was the father, and he deserved to be there just as much as Scooter.

It didn't take long for Jean to figure out why Logan was being so pissy and distant...and when she did, her disdain for Marie was refreshed.

The telepath could immediately tell that Logan was not over her.

By the time Jamie was a year old, Scott and Marie's relationship had grown serious. The "I love yous" had been said and done, and Scott, Marie and Jamie had moved into a two bedroom suite on the mansion's top level.

One evening, after putting Jamie down for the night, Scott and Marie laid in bed, kissing.

When he moved his lips to her neck, Marie practically purred, knowing what was to come.

Scott stopped kissing her and looked at her for a while before brushing her hair out of her eyes, "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, you know that?"

Marie smiled before gently brushing his hair off of his forehead, "I do..."

He laughed a little, "Funny you should say 'I do'...cause I was hoping that you'd say that to me...some day soon..."

Scott leaned over and took a ring box out of the night stand before opening it to reveal a cushion cut diamond ring flanked by two sapphires. She gasped and looked down at the ring before looking back at him, "Are you asking...are you asking me to marry you?"

"I am."

Marie practically tackled him into the mattress as she squealed, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

When Scott was finally able to get the ring on her finger, they ended up making love for nearly 3 hours before falling asleep.

The following day, when Logan came for his visit with Jamie, he immediately noticed the ring.

He stared at her finger for a few seconds as Marie's eyes followed his to her ring. She idly fiddled with the it as he spoke, "So...wow...Scooter stole an iceberg or somethin'?"

Marie laughed a little, "He asked me last night..."

Logan sat down on the bed and nodded, "You don't think it's a little fast?"

She laughed a little, "We've known each other for a pretty long time, Logan. We've been dating for over 9 months."

"I'm sure you think that's plenty of time, but I'd at least think you'd wanna take some time to-"

Marie sucked her teeth, "Look...just because you have no interest in makin' it official with Jean doesn't mean the rest of us have to move at the speed of snot. I happen to know my relationship is viable."

She realized she had been ruder than necessary in her response almost as soon as the last word left her mouth. She had snapped at him for no reason, and now she didn't know what to do next.

Her pride definitely wouldn't allow her to apologize, but the look on his face almost made her second guess that stance.

Logan sighed, "Well. That's it then, huh?"

She crossed her arms and nodded, making the decision to stand firm, "Yep."

Jamie's babbling in the next room distracted them from continuing their argument.

While Logan was in the next room with Jamie, who had just woken up from her nap, Marie left to find Scott. She spotted him talking to Jean directly in front of the entrance to the kitchen.

Jean briefly narrowed her eyes at Marie, then turned and walked away. When she reached Scott, she put an arm around his waist and kissed his cheek, "What was that about?"

"I told her..."

"Yeah...I just told Logan."

He kissed her temple as he guided her into the empty kitchen, "Well, you seem more relaxed than I thought you would."

"What makes you say that?" she asked as Scott shrugged and he let go of her. She took a seat opposite him on the island as he walked over to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of soda.

"I love you...and I know you love me...but Logan is a big part of your life."

Marie shifted uncomfortably, "Scott-"

He held up a hand, cutting her off, "I am not saying that I'm jealous, or that I don't trust you when it comes to him...I'm just stating fact. He was your first. He broke your heart, and he's the father of your child..."

"I love you. You have nothing to worry about."

"I know...but I'd have to be a fool to think that he's not going to be a major part of your life."

"Our lives", she said as she stood and walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, "I share my life with you and Jamie...Logan just happens to be someone we all have to live with.

Within a couple of months, Marie and Scott set a date for the following year. They wanted to wait until well after Jamie's second birthday to get married.

About a month before their planned wedding, the X Men had to respond to an attack on the FBI headquarters in Langley. The professor was unable to get a lock on who the possible attackers were.

He used Cerebro and found that Mystique was no where near Langley, which meant that Magneto was probably not involved.

Marie thought about accompanying them while leaving Jubilee to babysit Jamie, but Scott practically begged her to stay behind since they were going in blind and he was scared it would be too dangerous for her.

As usual, Marie sat with the professor while the team was out. It was almost their way of holding vigil for them.

It was hours before the professor felt the team's presence returning to the mansion. The look on his face immediately told Marie that something was wrong.

It only took him muttering "oh God..." before Marie practically flew out of his office and to the nearest elevator. By the time she reached the hangar doors, the team was limping in.

Hank carried Storm, Bobby was bleeding from the head as he helped a limping Jubilee, and Peter carried a dazed looking Kitty. Bringing up the rear was a dirty, bloodied Logan.

An immediate panic welled within her when she didn't see Scott. She started toward the plan, but Logan caught her, "He was captured, Marie...they have him."

"What? Who has him? Go back! We have to go back and get him! We can't leave him!" As she ranted, and attempted to move toward the jet, Logan shook her in an attempt to snap her back to reality, "Marie! They have Jean too."

Marie panted and shook her head, unable to understand how to finish processing the information.

The professor appeared at the hangar doors. Apparently, he'd already been probing everyone's thoughts and discovered the identity of the perpetrators. He asked everyone to the med lab so that the wounded could have their injuries attended to while the team formed their next course of action.

An hour later, when everyone had been sufficiently patched up enough, the professor sighed, "It seems that I've made a grave error in judgement..."

Kitty sighed, "I'll say. We were completely blind sided..."

Logan was leaning against the back wall with his arms crossed as he stared intently at his feet. Marie spared him a glance before sniffling, "What the hell happened to Scott? Where is he?"

"We don't know where he is...but, I believe I now know who may have him..."

She straightened, "Then who?"

The professor sighed, "The Hellfire Club."

"Who the hell is that?"

Charles stared ahead thoughtfully, "A hostile mutant organization...one that I had deemed inactive following the death of its leader, Sebastian Shaw, many many years ago..."

"Who else was apart of this club from hell?" asked Logan as he began pacing.

"Shaw's right hand...was a woman. A very powerful telepath by the name of Emma Frost. She was more powerful than me...and a very decent match for Jean. Her manipulations are probably the reason why I could not see who attacked and why..."

Storm narrowed her eyes as Hank wrapped her ankle, "OK, so what do they want with Scott and Jean?"

The professor looked down, "My guess is that they want their powers...they want to recruit them."

"Impossible. Jean and Scott would never join them."

Charles nodded numbly, "I agree...but Emma is a very powerful telepath...even if Scott and Jean don't want to consciously join, I'm sure that there's a way that she could force them into servitude..."

"Even with Jean being as powerful as she is?" asked Logan.

"There's no way to tell. I need to know who they're working with...do you all think you could identify some of your attackers if you saw their faces again?"

The team members nodded silently before the professor asked them to congregate in his office when they'd had an opportunity to clean up. Logan and Marie, however, immediately made their way to the professor's office.

Kevin, one of the students, and resident IT genius, met them there.

Seeing that it was almost 4am, the poor kid was still half asleep and just putting on his glasses.

The professor smiled sagely, "So sorry to wake you, Kevin...but we have an emergency on our hands."

"Ok..."

"I need to know if you can hack into a government database...we're trying to find a list of mutants who associate with a particular organization. Can you do that?"

Kevin nodded, "Sure. Lemme go get my laptop."

Within minutes, the teenager returned with his computer. He sat down, opened it, and started puttering away. Soon, he glanced up over his screen, "CIA or FBI?"

Logan raised an eyebrow, "Can you do both?"

Kevin smirked, "It'll take a while, but yeah."

Twenty minutes later, Kevin set his laptop on the professor's desk for all to see, "Here's the database for both agencies. Just search it like you would Google."

"Thank you, Kevin...Logan. Please..."

Logan stepped forward and typed the words 'hellfire' into the search bar. It didn't take long before a list began scrolling. Of course, they passed a profile titled Sebastian Shaw with the word 'Deceased' written across his picture.

Marie paced nervously as Logan began scrolling through the pictures. He stopped at a picture and pointed at the screen, "There...I'd recognize that little bitch anywhere...she spit fire...or acid...it burned the hell outta my skin."

The professor rolled around to get a better look at the screen, "Angel Salvadore..."

Marie bit her bottom lip, "You know her?"

"I used to..."

"Can you use Cerebro to find her?"

Charles nodded, "I'll try."

Marie closed her eyes as the professor rolled out of the office, leaving her alone with Logan. She bit her bottom lip as a lone tear rolled down her cheek, "How did this happen?"

"An explosion...we must've tripped it when we walked in...we weren't prepared for it. We just ended up getting caught off guard. They started attacking us from all sides...the bitch with the acid spit...and some woman with blond hair who turned into like...a living diamond...so Scott called for a retreat. Hank was carrying Storm...I was carrying Jubes...we were halfway out by the time we noticed Kitty and Jean were missing. Peter and Scott turned around and rushed back in before I could even set Jubes down. I made sure to get her and the rest of the team safe on the jet before I followed. By the time I did, Peter was running out of the building full speed, carrying Kitty. He was in his metal form, screaming 'go go! we gotta go now!'. Bullets were ricocheting off of his back...Hank practically had to restrain me from running down the jet's ramp. We had to take off...Storm barely got us outta there. They sent rocket launchers after us and everything."

Marie covered her face and shook her head, "How do we even know Scott's alive?"

"He is" interrupted Peter as he walked through the door. He regarded Marie with sad eyes as he spoke, "I saw him get knocked unconscious by the woman...she looked like a living diamond..."

She shook her head and turned away, "This can't be happening..."

Marie was cut off by the sound of Jamie whining on the monitor. She pursed her lips and looked at Logan, who nodded, "I'll come with you."

They left the office and walked to her room in silence. Logan stripped out of the top of his uniform before walking into Jamie's room. He heard his gruff voice whisper, "Shhh, kiddo...daddy's gotcha..."

Within a few moments, there was silence, and he emerged from her room, "Nightmare, I guess."

Marie nodded and bit her lip, "What if they're already-"

"We can't think that, OK?"

Her lip trembled as she nodded. Logan quickly enveloped her in a comforting hug, which she allowed herself to melt into. Before she knew it, she was sobbing into his chest without thought or care that she was probably making a complete spectacle of herself.

"We're gonna get them back...ya hear me, kid? We won't rest until we do."

Hours later, Marie didn't realize how literal that statement was.

The team was still pouring over files from the hacked government databases, and collecting as much intel as they could on the Hellfire Club.

Eventually, Hank and Storm were able to narrow down a list of definite accomplices, and briefed the team concerning powers and abilities they might run into the next time they go up against them, which would probably be very soon if Logan and Marie had anything to say about it.

Knowing that the group was being headed up by Emma Frost, and they now had Jean, the professor was very apprehensive about going after them so soon. He felt the team needed a bit of time to heal and recover.

"I want them back every bit as much as you...but going after them now, while the team is still battered and bruised and not at all in the condition to fight would be suicide. They would never want us to sacrifice more lives for them."

Marie and Logan looked at each other before she stepped forward, "Fine. Logan and I will go."

Logan nodded in agreement, "A stealth rescue mission...in and out...Storm...can you pilot?"

"Yes, but-"

"Good. Then we're good to go", said Marie with a nod.

The professor shook his head, "Marie, Logan, I have to-"

Logan cut him off, "We're not askin' your permission, Chuck. We're doin' this...with or without your blessing."

There was a tense moment of silence before the professor nodded silently.

An hour later, Marie was suiting up in her room while Jubilee sat on the floor, supervising Jamie while she ate a snack. Logan arrived, "Ready?"

She nodded, "Just about to say goodbye to the munchkin..."

He sighed and lowered his voice, "Are you sure you should go? I mean...if anything happens to both of us...Jamie-"

"We're gonna be fine...OK? Besides...you can heal. If anyone isn't coming back it'd be me."

He lowered and shook his head, "Don't say shit like that..."

Marie bit her bottom lip, "I know it's a possibility. We're parents. We can't pretend it can't happen...I need to know that, if it happens...you'll take care of her."

"You know I will."

Marie hugged Jamie tight and kissed her, "I love you baby girl...be good. I'll be back soon, OK?"

"Gon go get uncow Cot?" asked the toddler, who had immediately noticed Scott's absence when she woke up that morning.

Marie nodded, "I think so."

"Otay!" said Jamie as Marie sat her down.

Logan turned to Jamie with a smile that was deceptively bright, given the grave circumstances he was facing. He opened his arms, "C'mere, munchkin."

Jamie ran over to her father as fast as her legs could take her. He picked her up and kissed her cheeks, "You be good for Auntie Jubes, OK? Mommy and daddy'll be back before ya know it...but I need you to draw us pictures while we're gone. OK?"

"Otay!"

Logan kissed her again, "Ya love me?"

Jamie blushed and buried her face in his chest. Logan laughed a little and kissed her head, "Heeey...come on...ya love me?"

Jamie nodded and grabbed his face to give him a kiss on the lips before squirming until he put her down.

Logan let out a breath, "I'll meet ya downstairs."

Within an hour, they were on the jet, en route to a destination that the professor had found by using Cerebro to monitor Angel Salvadore's psychic trail.

It turned out to be an abandoned factory. The plan was, isolate just one guard and torture them into giving up Jean and Scott's exact location.

Storm put the jet in stealth mode as they approached the building. She hovered about 20 feet off the ground, allowing Logan and Marie to jump down out of the plane into a nearby brush.

Marie used binoculars to scan the area, and spotted one guard near the side entrance they were positioned near. She pointed him out to Logan, who instructed her to follow him.

They were able to sneak up on the guard and knock him to the ground before Logan held his claws to his throat, "Where are the prisoners you took from Langley?"

The mutant guard glared, "Why should I tell you?"

Marie snatched off her glove, "You don't have to...but I suggest you give us the answers voluntarily...if you don't, and I have to get them from you, you die."

He widened his eyes as Marie's hand inched closer to his neck, "They're in there...second floor...the far right side of the building!"

Logan knocked him unconscious before leading Marie around the building to the far right side. He spotted a drainage pipe and tested the sturdiness of it before giving Marie a boost and letting her climb it before following behind her. When she reached the second floor window, she was able to reach through a missing window pane to pull open the window and climb in.

She crouched on the ground and waited until Logan entered and dropped on the floor next to her.

He scanned the area and stood, leading her toward the door. When he sensed someone approaching, he stopped and held up a hand, signaling for her to hide.

When the person entered, Logan made short work of them, quietly disposing of them.

She searched the body and found keys, which she pocketed before following Logan out of the room.

A voice inside of Marie's head stopped her. Logan turned around, "What is-"

Before he could finish his sentence, he was blasted by a laser beam and thrown backwards several feet.

Marie watched Scott walk towards her, his hand firmly planted on the side of his visor as he aimed at her. She took an involuntary step backwards, "Scott?"

Suddenly, Emma Frost joined them. Despite the dank surroundings, her pristine white outfit remained spotless and unwrinkled.

Marie glanced at the unconscious Logan before turning her eyes back to Scott, who, like a robot, lowered his hand from his visor when Emma patted his shoulder and said, "Down boy..."

"Scott..."

Emma ran a hand over his uniform, "Oh, it's no use, honey. He's all mine, now..."

Marie glared, "What did you do to him?"

"I just played around in his head. Shorted out his pain sensors...wiped out his memories, and got rid of his ability to make decisions on his own. It's actually pretty brilliant...I made him the perfect man."

Marie shook her head, "Scott!"

"Oh honey, I wouldn't be much of a telepath if all it took to snap him out of this was your whining...he's gone...for good. He's kind of like my own personal pet."

"You're lying!" Marie yelled. "Scott! It's me! Please!"

Emma rolled her eyes mockingly, "Scott, bring her, will ya, lover?"

Scott stepped forward and grabbed Marie before yanking her along as they followed Emma.

When they reached the next room, Emma told three men, "We have a guest across the hall. Go get him and tie him up downstairs...tight."

Scott practically threw her into the room. Marie landed on her hands and knees hard, causing pain to shoot up her limbs.

"Where's Jean?"

Emma twirled her finger through her long blond locks, "You know...you JUST missed her. I just had Angel and Azazel move her to an undisclosed location. I have to keep her comatose...she's quite a fighter. She has something inside of her that I want...hopefully she'll live long enough to give it to me."

Marie stared at Scott, willing him to remember her...to somehow snap out of the zombie-like state he'd been pushed into.

Emma's attention was abruptly pulled away from Marie when they heard gunshots and commotion coming from the hallway.

Marie took that opportunity to snatch off her gloves and rush forward, grabbing the bare skin of Emma's neck.

She screamed for Scott to kill Marie, which prompted him to start blasting laser beams at Marie, who was now using Emma as a living shield as she continued draining her power.

Emma tried to retreat into her diamond form, but Marie's syphoning of her powers prevented that, leaving her vulnerable to a couple of stray blasts of Scott's optic beams. When one of his blasts caught her in the chest, Emma was killed on impact. Marie dropped her and looked up at Scott, who, once again, put his fingers to his visor and took aim.

In her panic, her mind was able to call upon Emma's borrowed powers and turn her into diamond form just as a laser hit her in the chest, knocking her backwards.

Marie turned back into her normal state and struggled to her feet as she knocked random debris off of her.

Just before Scott attempted to shoot her again, he was kicked from behind by Logan, When Marie remembered Emma's claim that she had taken away Scott's ability to feel pain, she wasn't surprised when the kick barely fazed him. Scott turned around, shooting laser beams at Logan until he caught him with a huge blast in his leg, blowing a giant chunk of muscle and skin off of his upper thigh.

Logan fell on the ground, roaring in agony as his bloodied leg slowly began piecing itself together. Scott began advancing on Logan, but Marie jumped on his back. Before she could get a bare hand on him, he violently threw her off, causing her to hit her head on the floor.

With Logan down, Scott turned his full attention to Marie, who was dazed from the recent hit to the head.

Logan desperately tried to pull himself across the floor as the flesh on his leg began re-growing over the adamantium covered bone. He grabbed a brick and threw it at Scott's head. It connected and caused an ugly gash to the back of his head, but did nothing to stop him from his advancement on Marie. Logan yelled as he struggled to an upright position, "Scott! Snap out of it!"

Marie's hazy vision cleared up just in time to look up and see Scott taking aim at her. She shook her head and whispered, "No...Scott..."

Just before he blasted her, the sickening sound of metal penetrating bone and flesh resonated through the room.

Scott's hand slowly fell from his visor before he fell to his knees in front of her, then crumpled to the floor.

"No..." whispered Marie as she shook her head. When her mind finally wrapped around what just happened, she screamed, "Noooo!"

Logan crumpled back down to the floor next to Scott's body as he struggled to remain conscious from the tremendous loss of blood.

Marie hurriedly crawled over to Scott and took his face in her hands, "Scott!" She pulled his body onto her lap and cradled his head against her chest, "Wake up, baby...please...please?" She rocked him and stroked his cheek, "Scott? Please! Oh God! Scott! No! No...God!" Logan couldn't do anything but look on as she lifted her head to the sky and let out the loudest, most agonizing scream he'd ever heard any creature emit.

Marie held Scott's body during the ride back, and refused to leave his side when they returned to the mansion.

After Logan cleaned up and changed out of his bloodied uniform, he made a beeline for Jamie.

When Jubilee asked him what happened, he was unable to answer. He just held his daughter close and kissed her head. After a few moments of very uncomfortable silence, he told Jubilee to go talk to the professor.

Two hours after their return to the mansion, the professor rolled into the room where Marie sat next to Scott's bedside.

They were quiet for several moments before Marie spoke with a trembling voice, "I've been wondering if it was safe to take his visor off...since he's-"

She quieted herself as a muffled sob escaped her lips. The professor rolled closer, "It's safe to take the visor off, Marie..."

Marie slowly reached forward and removed the visor from his face. His eyes were open beneath them...deep, blue, wide eyes...beautiful, yet devoid of life.

She began crying anew as the professor rolled forward and placed a comforting hand on her back.

Two days later, Marie was getting ready for Scott's memorial service. She stared in the mirror at herself after she put on her earrings and smoothed out her black dress.

On the outside, she looked neat and well-put together. On the inside, she was hanging on by a thread.

The knowledge that Jamie was in the next room, playing with one of the many toys Scott had bought her, somehow kept Marie from breaking down completely.

She wiped a tear from her eye and cleared her throat, "Almost ready to go, munchkin?"

Jamie nodded as they both heard a knock on the door. Marie answered and found Jubilee standing there, "Hey...I thought you might want me to take Jamie downstairs so that you could finish getting ready."

Marie pursed her lips and nodded, putting on a brave smile, "Yeah. Thanks."

After Jamie left, Marie spritzed on a little bit of perfume, then went to her closet to fish out a pair of black heels.

She turned on the closet light and bent over to pick up her shoes. She froze when she realized she was stepping on one of Scott's shirts. He'd probably tossed it at the hamper and missed...and now here it was.

Tears blurred her vision as she bent over to pick up the shirt. She buried her face in it and took a deep, long whiff of its scent. It smelled like him. She could almost see him again...almost feel his arms around her...

Marie dropped to her knees and cried, letting the sobs spill forth uncontrolled as she curled up in the fetal position on the closet floor.

She gave herself several minutes to just lay there, clutching the shirt to her chest before she forced herself to stand, fix her hair, put on her shoes and go downstairs.

Marie held Jamie on her lap during the entire service, which was presided over by Hank and the professor.

Bobby, Storm and Jubilee all got up to do readings of poems and eulogize the fallen leader, while one of the other students sang Scott's favorite song.

About halfway through the service, something made Marie turn to look behind her. When she did, she saw Logan standing several feed behind the gathered crowd, wearing a black shirt and black pants.

His head was bowed, almost as if he was in prayer, or deep thought. He must have felt her eyes on him, because he slowly lifted his head to look back at her.

Her bottom lip trembled as she slowly favored him with a nod. He nodded back before turning and walking away.

***************************END FLASHBACK**************************

Marie sniffled repeatedly as she dabbed at her eyes, "I still feel like I can hear his voice and feel his presence...is that normal?"

Dr. Stewart nodded slowly, "Absolutely..."

Marie smiled a little as she slowly pulled the chain from beneath her shirt. At the end of it was the engagement ring Scott had given her, "I keep this on...kinda like my way of reminding myself that he'll always be with me."

Dr. Stewart seemed to be fighting back tears as well, but she cleared her throat and straightened, "Well...I guess now, I can better understand your emotional turmoil..."

* * *

**Review please!  
**


	8. Chapter 8

Marie stared out the window at the falling rain, "I miss him so much."

"I know you do..."

"I don't think I ever deserved him."

Dr. Stewart quirked a brow, "What makes you say that?"

"Scott was this amazing, honest, sweet, supportive, loyal guy...and here I am...barely two years after he died, having thoughts about the man who's technically responsible for his death."

"Did you have these feelings for Logan when Scott was alive?"

Marie shook her head, "If I did, I buried them deep. I loved Scott. If you put him and Logan beside each other, I'd pick Scott first."

"So...you'd say Scott was your first choice."

She nodded, "Yeah."

"...And you believe you were Logan's second choice behind Jean?"

Marie nodded slowly, "Yeah..."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Why don't you tell me when Logan moved out?"

*********************************18 MONTHS AGO*****************************

Scott had been dead for almost six months, and Marie was slowly re-adapting to life without him. She missed him desperately every waking moment of the day, but she'd soon figured out a way to keep going without suffering from an emotional breakdown every time she ran across a picture of them together, or one of his stray belongings.

Logan had left with Storm on multiple occasions to pursue leads concerning Jean's whereabouts, but unfortunately, with Emma dead, they had no idea where she was.

Jean's telepathic powers would likely shield her from any attempts the professor made with Cerebro to locate her, so they were restricted to good old fashioned leg work.

Even when Storm got tired of pounding the pavement, Logan would hit the road, staying gone for weeks at a time before coming back to spend a week back with Jamie, then leave again.

Marie managed to ensure that she never spent more than a few minutes in Logan's presence when he came back to the mansion to spend time with Jamie.

Although she was grateful to him for saving her life, she couldn't help but vividly remember Scott's death whenever Logan was around for the first several months...then after that, another problem followed.

As the freshness of her grief over her lost love wore off, Marie began to realize how uncomfortable she got when Logan came around.

It wasn't until she found herself watching from the window as he played on the lawn with Jamie, did she realize that her discomfort around him was a direct result of her renewed desire for him.

When she allowed herself to acknowledge the attraction, it felt as though she'd taken ten steps backwards in her emotional recovery process.

She'd lost a good man. Possibly a man she could refer to as the love of her life...and here she was, lusting after the man who Scott hated...and had killed him.

Words couldn't properly describe how disgusted Marie was in herself.

She began hating being around Logan...she could barely look at him without feeling a renewed sense of debilitating guilt.

Meanwhile, Logan had nearly given up hope that Jean was alive, and had stopped fighting his attraction to Marie.

He realized that she and Jamie were his shot at finally becoming a better person and having a "real" family, so he started to think of ways to appropriately court her.

Logan figured there was no better place to start than his predecessor...the late, great Scott summers.

It was late one evening when he took a six pack out to the grave yard and sat in front of Scott's head stone.

He shook his head and scoffed, "I know what you're thinkin', Scooter...I bet you're sayin 'what in the hell is that asshole doin' here'...right?" Logan popped open a beer and sighed, "Well, One-Eye...I'm here to admit that you were better than me. In every way. You're a better person, a better friend, a better teacher, hell...you were probably a better father figure to the munchkin..." Logan took a swig of beer and looked down, "I know one thing...you were better for Marie...always have been. I think that's why I hated you so much." He paused and looked at the headstone, "You ever wonder why I took Marie sleepin' with you so hard? It's cause I knew, man...I knew that once you two connected...there'd be no goin' back. Of course, you fell head over heels for her...you'd be an idiot not to...but she'd know...she'd know that you were better and even if we did end up together, I'd have to spend our relationship, lookin' over my shoulder...because of you."

The crack of a nearby branch caught Logan's attention, prompting him to jump to his feet just in time to see Marie round the corner of the mansion, "Logan...what are you doin' out here?"

"I was...just havin' a beer."

Marie raised a brow, "At Scott's grave?"

Logan looked down, "It's quiet out here..."

She nodded, "Death is always quiet."

"What are you doin' here?"

Marie chewed on her bottom lip and uneasily looked back toward the mansion, "Uhhh...nothin'...you'll think it's dumb."

"No I won't."

She sighed and shrugged a little, "Sometimes, I can't sleep until I come out here and say goodnight to him..."

Logan nodded, "I can understand that." There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, then they both started talking. They shared an uneasy laugh as Logan spoke, "I haven't talked to ya a lot...I was just wonderin' how you were doin'."

"I'm gettin' better every day...how's your search goin'?"

He sighed and took a swig of his beer, "Dead ends...it's like she vanished into thin air."

"I'm sorry."

Logan looked at her for a little while, then nodded, "Yeah. Me too...about everything."

Realizing that the conversation was about to venture into intimate territory that she was not yet ready to explore, Marie held up a hand, "Let's-not-do this...OK?"

She turned around and started to walk away, but he caught up with her and quickly turned her around. Marie started to snatch away from him, but his grip tightened on her arms, "Don't...don't leave..."

When she slowly turned her eyes upward to stare into his, she felt her knees weaken and her resolve dissipate. She barely had the time to utter his name before his lips were on hers.

Marie moaned as Logan backed her up against the mansion's brick exterior and pressed his body against hers.

The kiss was hungry, desperate and hotter than anything she could have imagined. Her body practically cried out for his when he moved his lips to her neck, to hungrily suckle at the sensitive flesh there.

Marie whimpered his name as he popped open the button of her jeans and slid his hand inside, forcing her zipper down as his hand found its way inside of her panties.

She threw her head back as he slowly sought out her clit and rapidly moistening slit.

Almost as soon as he began rubbing at the bundle of nerves, Marie grabbed at his wrist in an effort to pull his hand from its place in her jeans.

Despite her struggles, Logan continued kissing and suckling at her neck as he fingered her. Marie's efforts against him expanded from her hand to her entire body as she tried to squirm away from him, "Logan...stop!"

It took a hefty shove before she as able to knock him off and away from her.

They stood a few feet from each other, panting. Marie ran a hand through her hair in an effort to tame it before she quickly buttoned her pants. Logan could smell her tears long before he saw them.

She turned to walk away, but he followed, "Marie-"

She snatched back around and pointed an accusing finger at him, "Do you know how long it took me to get over all the hurt you caused me? Do you know what it did to me when I was giving birth to your child and you wouldn't even bother to see me? You broke my heart! Repeatedly! You put me through hell for a mistake I made years ago...and here we are, feet away from the grave of the man YOU killed...the man who could love me and take care of me, AND Jamie better than you ever could...and you're trying to pretend like it never happened and just fuck me right here?"

Logan took a step forward, but she jumped backwards...almost as if he was made of poison.

He stopped in his tracks, "Marie...I don't-"

"I am tired of you jerking me around. I am tired of these fleeting moments of affection...I am TIRED of you playin' with my heart...I want you gone."

"What?"

She nodded, "You heard me...I want you gone."

He looked away for a moment and shook his head, "I'm not leaving Jamie."

"I would never keep her from you...you can come back every few weeks to see her, and when she gets a little older, you can take her on road trips or whatever...but I do not want to live under the same roof as you. I don't want to see you everyday...cause every time I see you, I'm reminded of all of the pain that you've created in my life..."

Logan looked down and nodded. He turned and started to walk away, but he stopped and turned his head slightly to talk to her as she stood behind him, "I wish there was another way, Marie...but I couldn't let you get killed. You know that if Scott could, he'd be thanking me for saving your life even at the expense of his own..."

She sighed and wiped the tears away from her eyes, "Trust me, Logan...you having to kill Scott was probably the least of the pain you've caused..."

********************END FLASHBACK*******************

Marie shrugged a little and put her hands on her lap, "So, that's where we are today. He's respected my wishes since, and he comes back every six to eight weeks to pick Jamie up so that they can spend a few days together. The professor helps him keep an apartment in White Plains so that he can be close by...but we don't typically see him between visits."

"Alright...I definitely have the whole picture now..."

"...and then some."

Dr. Stewart laughed a little, then slowly grew serious, "I think the first step here, Marie, is honesty. You need to be honest with yourself, and to Logan. Yes- he has made horribly stupid, selfish, spineless decisions when it comes to you, but if there's any part of you that can honestly look past all that and admit that you still love him as more than the father of your child, then you owe it to yourself to see if a life with him can make you happy."

Marie quirked a brow, "Isn't he an emotionally unhealthy person for me though?"

"Only if you two aren't honest with each other. Communication has and always will be the key to happy, healthy relationships. If you were in love with Logan when he took your virginity, you should have admitted it to him instead of running away at the first sign of discomfort. I know that you were young, and that reaction was unavoidable, but now it is. If you truly love him, Marie...then you deserve to give him a second chance. Scott is gone...but I guarantee you, if he loved you half as much as you describe, he just wants you to be happy...even if it is with Logan."

That evening, Marie met Logan and Jamie outside. Logan seemed more anxious than usual, but Marie didn't put much thought into it when she invited him inside.

She listened as Jamie excitedly told her about her time with her father, and the new toys he'd bought for her.

When Jamie ran off to find Jubilee to say hello, she and Logan were left alone in a silent foyer.

"So...did she give you any problems?"

Logan shook his head, "She was a princess, as usual...the professor around?"

"He went out to dinner with Hank and Storm...he should be back soon." He nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets as he looked around. Marie fidgeted nervously, "You can wait if you want..."

"That'd be great...thanks. I actually have something important I needed to talk to him about."

"Um...I have something important I wanted to talk to you about too..." She took a deep breath and slowly stepped forward, "Logan, I know we have a really fucked up past...and god only knows the type of conflicts we'll have trying to raise Jamie, but I think that...well, I hope that you and I could...maybe we could-"

Logan leaned forward with a furrowed brow. By his expression, Marie could tell he had no idea what she was trying to say. Just as she opened her mouth to try to clarify her point, the professor, Storm and Hank entered the foyer.

"Logan. Good to see you again. Is everything alright?"

Logan turned his full attention toward the professor and nodded, "I think so...I think that I might have Jean's location locked..."

And just like that, Marie's heart sank to her knees...

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**Just when you thought that redheaded she-devil was gone!**

**Review please, everyone! I think I may have lost a few readers when I took too long between the last couple of chapters! Please still let me know you're here and reading!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

Marie stood in the doorway of the professor's office as Logan leaned over a map on the professor's desk, pointing out locations to Storm, Charles and Hank as they stood gathered, listening as he described Jean's possible location.

He explained that he'd spent time with his ears to the ground, traveling the country digging up contacts and potential witnesses.

Marie noticed that, unlike everyone else in the room, the professor seemed hesitant to get excited about Jean's possible return.

Suddenly, she stepped forward, "I'm sorry...I just have to say what everyone is thinking...what if Jean isn't herself anymore?"

Logan straightened and furrowed her eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

She pursed her lips, "She's one of the most powerful mutants ever...yet she's been able to be held against her will for nearly two years? I mean, even if they've kept her comatose all this time, do you honestly think that her being trapped within her own mind for that long didn't do some kind of damage to her mental state? We have to be prepared for the possibility that she might not be the Jean we knew..."

A few of those gathered in the room started to respond, but the professor spoke up, stopping them, "Rogue is right. I've had these fears for some time...but...I never wanted to openly admit them."

Logan threw his hands up, "So what? We're supposed to just leave her be? Let her stay with whoever might be keeping her?"

The professor shook his head, "No...but we can't approach this as a rescue mission. We have to gather intel...because there might not be a Jean left to save..."

Logan looked at the faces around the room before clenching his fists and stalking from the room.

Marie bit her bottom lip and hesitated briefly before following him. She found him in his old room, staring out the window. He must have smelled her, because he started talking to her without even bothering to turn around, "I bet you're wonderin' why I feel the need to find her...even after all this time..."

"No, I get it. You love her..." Marie leaned against the wall next to him and looked up at the stars, "Ya know, if it were Scott...I'd probably keep looking for him too...even knowing that he wasn't himself...I'd give anything just to see him one last time..."

He placed a hand on her back, "I'm really sorry-"

Marie held up a hand, "Don't...let's not go there. I know there was no other way...and I know you just wanted to save my life."

"I couldn't let my kid grow up without a mother...you're everything to Jamie."

She nodded, "It took me a while to accept that you made the only call you could."

Logan looked down, "I have to find her. I know she's not the greatest person, and, to be completely honest, she's manipulated me into doing some shit I'm not proud of...especially when it comes to you and Jamie...but I feel responsible."

"It's OK, Logan. You don't owe me an explanation."

He stared at her for a while, "I feel like I do."

"Why?"

Logan turned to look at her, "Because you're the mother of my child...and no matter what, I can't shake these feelings I have for you-" He abruptly stopped talking when his voice cracked. He gripped the window frame so tight, she could have sworn she heard the thick wood crack beneath his grip. She gently put a hand on his arm as he cleared his throat and shook his head, "When I think about the shit I did...the day Jamie was born...goddammit...it's a miracle you even let me in her life now..."

She looked down, "You're her father."

He slowly cupped her face in his hands, "I'm not good enough for her...for either of you..." Marie desperately tried to avoid eye contact, but Logan was persistent in his grip on her face, "...but that doesn't stop me from needing you, wanting you...loving you..."

Marie started to speak, but before she could, his lips were on hers.

The kiss was passionate and deep, but she tried to fight him. It wasn't until he backed her up against a wall did she relent. He moaned against her neck, "Marie...tell me...please..."

His touch was full of need and desperation as he begged her to admit the feelings she'd long since held inside. She whimpered, "Logan..."

Logan expertly unbuttoned her pants with one hand and slowly pushed his hand inside and immediately sought out her clit, making her practically purr at his touch. Marie shuddered as he pushed her shirt up and yanked the cup of her bra down, grabbing a hold of her supple breast and kneading the soft flesh.

Within seconds, he'd transferred her to the bed and was in the process of removing her clothes. Every now and then, he'd have to gently tug a random article of clothing out of her reluctant grip, but in the end, Marie relented and found herself naked and quivering on the bed as he crawled a top her, lowering his hips down between her open legs.

As he reached down to guide himself into her, he kissed her neck, "Tell me, baby..."

Marie's voice trembled as she closed her eyes and remembered what Dr. Stewart said. Now that Logan had admitted his feelings, there was slightly less risk involved to her...so she let out a breath and whispered, "I love you..."

Just as the words left her mouth, he buried himself inside of her.

Marie arched beneath him and moaned as he slowly began moving in and out of her. She ran her fingernails up his back and began slowly undulating her hips upwards to match his thrusts, deepening his penetration.

Their bodies moved in perfect unison as their gasps, moans and whimpers created a soft, erotic chorus that was practically music to Logan's ears.

He grabbed her leg and raised it around his waist as he gripped onto her smooth thigh. Logan pressed his forehead against hers as he felt her body tremble beneath his, signaling that her climax was just around the corner, "Yeah baby...that's it..."

"Logan..."

The speed of his movements began to pick up as he felt her tighten around him, until suddenly, they were both rendered speechless by simultaneous orgasms.

When he reclaimed his ability to function, he leaned down and softly kissed her collar bone, "I do love you, Marie..."

Her bottom lip trembled as she ran a hand through his hair and let out a soft sigh, "I know..."

Logan realized that she seemed upset and slowly raised his head to look down into her face, "What's wrong?"

"If Jean comes back...if you find her, and she recovers from whatever she's been through...this won't matter. You'll toss me aside...cause she's your first choice."

Before he could reply, Marie pushed him off and began hurriedly collecting her clothes from around the room, dressing as she moved about.

"Marie...let's just talk about this..."

She closed her eyes, "It's my fault. Really. Earlier, before you announced that you may have found Jean, I was ready to admit my feelings to you...and then, when you told everyone that Jean might be alive, I actually wished she would just stay gone...I know that makes me a monster."

"That doesn't-"

Marie interrupted him as she pulled her shirt on over her head, "...and now, you're gonna leave me...leave Jamie, to embark on some rescue mission to save your first, true love, and I...I let this happen! I'm a complete, fucking idiot!"

"Does the fact that I told you I loved you mean nothin' anymore?"

She pulled her jeans on, "Oh, it means something...it means that now, I can look at you and take comfort in the fact that you have feelings for me, but they'll never be as deep as the ones you have for Jean."

"You're the only one who's sayin' that."

He pulled on his underwear and groaned, "Jesus Christ, kid! People can change their minds! They get mature...they can gain new perspectives and change their stances based on learning new shit...and that's what's happened to me. I have lived life without you...I've known what it's like to be on the outside lookin' into the family that should be mine...I've been jealous of the man who you shared your bed with...I want you. I want us...regardless of whether Jean comes back or not."

A knock on the door kept Marie from replying. Logan pulled on his shirt and answered, finding Jamie and Jubilee there.

The four year old smiled, "There you are!"

Marie smiled, "Hey baby...you ready for bed?"

She nodded, "Ready!"

Marie took Jamie by the hand, "Let's go baby girl."

A couple of days later, Marie got word that the team was going to stage a mission to scout out Jean's location and possibly rescue her.

She had been avoiding Logan, but felt that this might be her last chance to see him before Jean returned to the mansion and shook up everyone's lives.

She got up early on the morning of the mission to head down and bid everyone...especially Logan, farewell. By the time she made it down to the hangar, the jet was gone.

Disappointed that she didn't have the chance to say goodbye to Logan, she turned and made her way back upstairs. When she reached her room, she found Logan sitting on her bed.

He stood, "Hey..."

"What are you doin' here? I thought you were leavin' with the team."

"I've spent the past two years, crossin' the country, spendin' time away from Jamie, and bustin' my ass for leads on her whereabouts...and now that I've done that, I need to concentrate on the life I want...the one that includes you, me and Jamie...as a family."

"But Jean-"

Logan looked down, "Chuck said that the chances of her comin' back here as herself are slim to none...and I need you to know that you're the most important woman in my life...so I stayed..."

"Logan...I don't know what to say..." she said as she lowered her head.

"Don't say anything, kid..." Logan walked over to her and gently tilted her chin upwards, "Just kiss me..."

Marie did, fully and hungrily on the lips.

The kiss would have become more, but the arrival of a freshly awoken Jamie stopped them.

*******************EPILOGUE***************

The mission the X Men ran that day revealed a near dead, still unconscious Jean.

She was being held by the remnants of the Hellfire Club, and, due to their disorganization and nomadic tendencies, she had not been properly cared for.

Her body was ravaged by bed sores, and she was severely malnourished.

Hank treated her body, but the professor was desperate to treat her mind.

When he entered her psyche, he realized that she was brain dead, and probably had been for some time.

The cause was not immediately known, but the professor would later surmise that her psyche possibly committed some sort of telepathic suicide due to her inability to cope with being trapped within her own mind for so long.

Marie, Logan and Jamie moved away from the mansion soon after in order to concentrate on getting their daughter acclimated to life as a "normal" family.

By Jamie's sixth birthday, Logan and Marie were expecting their second child. Her reaction to the new pregnancy brought about a rush of emotions and anxiety, which Logan felt warranted a visit to the "head doctor" she'd told him about.

As they sat in Dr. Stewart's office, waiting for her to come in, Logan looked around, "So, this is the chick who helped fix you after I broke you?"

Marie nodded, "I guess you can say that..."

"I guess I owe her then, huh?"

She smiled a little, "Oh yeah...big time."

* * *

**THE END!**


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